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grin (v.)

Old English grennian "show the teeth" (in pain or anger), common Germanic (cognates: Old Norse grenja "to howl," grina "to grin;" Dutch grienen "to whine;" German greinen "to cry"), from PIE root *ghrei- "be open." Sense of "bare the teeth in a broad smile" is late 15c., perhaps via the notion of "forced or unnatural smile." Related: Grinned; grinning.

grin (n.)

1630s, from grin (v.).

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Definitions of grin from WordNet
1
grin (v.)
to draw back the lips and reveal the teeth, in a smile, grimace, or snarl;
2
grin (n.)
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement;
Synonyms: smile / smiling / grinning
From wordnet.princeton.edu