Gnash
/næʃ/noun
To grind or strike the teeth together, often in anger, pain, or frustration.
Did you know?Gnash is one of those eerie English words whose silent initial g comes from older spelling traditions, preserving a history where the word’s sound and written form slowly drifted apart.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
gnæsan
“to gnash, grind the teeth”
Middle English
ME
gnasshen
“to bite or grind the teeth together”
Early Modern English
Eng
gnash
“to grind or strike the teeth together”
Modern English
Eng
gnash
“to grind the teeth, especially in anger or pain”