gurn: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, colloquial, dialectal (chiefly UK).
Quick answer
What does “gurn” mean?
To contort or pull one's face into an ugly, grotesque, or exaggerated expression, often as a form of entertainment or competition.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To contort or pull one's face into an ugly, grotesque, or exaggerated expression, often as a form of entertainment or competition.
The act of making such a face, typically to amuse others. Can also imply a look of sourness, displeasure, or strain, albeit less commonly.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
'Gurn' is a well-established, though regional, term in the UK. In American English, it is virtually unknown and would not be understood; alternative terms like 'grimace' or 'make a face' are used.
Connotations
In the UK, it can have a neutral, folkloric connotation in the context of competitions, but otherwise is mildly informal/jocular. In the US, the word has no established connotation.
Frequency
Low frequency even in the UK, except in specific contexts like news reports about rural fairs or 'gurning championships'. Extremely rare in American English.
Grammar
How to Use “gurn” in a Sentence
[Subject] gurns[Subject] gurns at [Object/Person][Subject] is gurningVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “gurn” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He won the contest by managing to gurn more grotesquely than anyone else.
- The comedian would gurn at the audience for laughs.
American English
- (Not used; speakers would say 'He made a ridiculous face' or 'He grimaced comically'.)
adverb
British English
- (Rare; not standardly derived.)
American English
- (Not used.)
adjective
British English
- The gurning champion held his title for three years.
- She has a fantastically gurn-worthy face.
American English
- (Not used.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Not used.
Everyday
Used in the UK in informal conversation, often humorously to describe someone's exaggerated facial expression. E.g., 'Stop gurning and take a proper photo!'
Technical
May appear in anthropological or cultural studies of British folk traditions.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gurn”
- Confusing it with 'grin' (a happy smile).
- Using it to describe a normal frown.
- Using it in formal contexts.
- Using it in American English without explanation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A grimace is often an involuntary expression of pain or disgust. A gurn is a deliberate, exaggerated, and often humorous facial contortion, strongly associated with a specific British folk competition.
Americans would likely not understand the word. It is a culturally specific British term. An American would say 'make a (funny/ugly) face' or 'grimace' instead.
It is primarily a verb (to gurn). The noun form ('a gurn' or 'the gurn') is also used, especially in the context of competitions (e.g., 'He has a great gurn').
It rhymes with 'fern' or 'burn'. In British IPA: /ɡɜːn/. The 'g' is hard as in 'get'.
To contort or pull one's face into an ugly, grotesque, or exaggerated expression, often as a form of entertainment or competition.
Gurn is usually informal, colloquial, dialectal (chiefly uk). in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Pull a gurn”
- “Gurn like a pro”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'GURN' as 'GRIMACE UNDER a coRN' (a nod to rural competitions and the facial action).
Conceptual Metaphor
FACIAL DISTORTION IS A SPORT / PERFORMANCE.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would you most likely hear the word 'gurn' used correctly?