grrr.

(also grrrr.)  n.  a growling sound of intense concentration.

<He did the place where the shampoo bottles had been, that I’d simply defined as a safe haven for mildew, he was in there, grrr, grrrr, twisting and jamming that little sponge.  —Nicholson Baker, Vox.>

(also grrrrrr.)  n.  the growl of the Big Bad Wolf from the fairy tale “Little Red Riding Hood” (Lena Tabori, The Little Big Book for Grandmothers); see also grr.


interj.  an expression of revulsion.

<It’s like that time I had the stroke, in 1940, remember?  When one side of me froze up?  And you gave me baby food on a spoon?  Grrr, what a godawful taste!  —Peter Straub, Ghost Story.>

n.  “a roar of horror and rage” from a “wicked Beast” in The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.


n.  “neither self-parody nor rage, but simply an expression of anger without accusation, blame, or apology.  Sometimes we have a physical need when angry to make an angry noise.  Growling—expressing anger through sound—can sometimes release the energy of anger swiftly” (Anne Katherine, Where to Draw the Line: How to Set Healthy Boundaries Every Day).


n.  a cacophonous sound sung by Björk of the band Sugarcubes, as transcribed in The Trouser Press Guide to 90s Rock by Ira A. Robbins.

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