I. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a grinning face
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He looked down at the boy’s grinning face.
a smile/grin/frown on sb’s face
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There was a mischievous grin on her face.
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He was reading the newspaper with a frown on his face.
a toothless smile/grin
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He gave us a toothless grin.
an embarrassed smile/laugh/grin
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Lucy gave an embarrassed smile and looked down at her feet.
cheeky grin
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a chubby five-year-old with a cheeky grin
crooked smile/grin
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His lips curled into a crooked smile.
gap-toothed smile/grin
give a smile/laugh/grin/frown/yawn etc
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She gave a little frown.
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Joel gave me a smile as I walked in.
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He gave her a big hug.
grin and bear it (= accept it without complaining )
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It was a horrible job but she had to grin and bear it.
shamefaced smile/grin
sheepish grin
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a sheepish grin
stifle a yawn/smile/grin etc
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I tried to stifle my laughter.
wear a smile/frown/grin etc
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His face wore a welcoming smile.
wide smile/grin
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As he ran toward me, his face broke into a wide grin.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
back
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Joe laughed and the boy grinned back .
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It was infectious, and I grinned back at her.
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Dolores stood back grinning , urging Ruth to go on in.
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He sang a few bars and grinned at her, and she grinned back .
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Joanna grinned back , her serene beauty sparkling into the quick, unexpected mischief that Isabel had seen in fitzAlan.
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I grin back just to show them.
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He turned his head upon its axis and grinned back over his shoulders at the hushed crowd.
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The man on the floor who had jacked up grinned at her and she found herself grinning back .
broadly
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Li Yuan grinned broadly , enjoying himself.
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The man grinned broadly when he heard Nate.
down
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She could see him now, grinning down at her with his sticky crimson teeth.
sheepishly
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Zach collapsed on the bed and grinned sheepishly at them.
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Kazanow grins sheepishly at the cheers before rejoining the fray below, the easy warmth between band and benefactor plainly apparent.
still
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I walked away, still grinning .
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He just climbed up into his cabin, still grinning , occasionally giggling, and started his engine.
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He turned back to stare at me as he was hauled off and he was still grinning .
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Still grinning faintly at such unaccustomed fancies, he grasped the iron handle and carefully pushed the gate open.
■ NOUN
ear
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He was grinning from ear to ear and pointing his finger up to the flies.
face
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The bearded face of its rider grinned .
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He hadn't seen the body of the figure, only its face grinning at him, the eyes bulging like sap.
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Bernard Walton's face grinned patronizingly down from the wall.
head
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I winked at my self, jiggled my head about, grinned .
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He kneels by my head , grinning .
man
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The man grinned , seeing the defeat in Riven's eyes, and beat down his blade.
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He turned away from the other man and grinned crookedly in greeting.
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The man grinned broadly when he heard Nate.
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The man grinned , all teeth, and charged at Trent fast, the knife driving at his belly.
tooth
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The man grinned , all teeth , and charged at Trent fast, the knife driving at his belly.
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Mr Barraza was grinning , his teeth bright, his bulk overshadowing both of us.
■ VERB
ask
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I asked my grinning neighbor what the title meant.
stand
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Dolores stood back grinning , urging Ruth to go on in.
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Two or three of my colleagues are also standing out there, grinning like goons.
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He unwound himself and stood up, grinned unrepentantly at them both and sauntered out.
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He remained standing and grinned all the wider.
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Two shiny hearses were standing outside, waiting; the black-capped drivers were standing together smoking and grinning over a joke.
turn
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Weasel turned and grinned expectantly at his companion, who grunted and handed over a coin from his pouch.
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He turned and grinned , the smile consuming his entire face.
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He turned around again and grinned weakly at Druellae.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
broad smile/grin
smile/grin broadly
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Eventually he turns to me smiling broadly .
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Li Yuan grinned broadly , enjoying himself.
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Neville smiled broadly and turned towards the pumps.
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She smiles broadly when her name is called.
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The man took a well-timed opportunity to smile broadly , a smile that said everything if one knew how to read.
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They approached each other without hesitation, shook hands as if they were close friends and smiled broadly .
smile/grin etc from ear to ear
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Father smiled from ear to ear, and he and I both ate like fiends.
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He was grinning from ear to ear and pointing his finger up to the flies.
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Randolph, smiling from ear to ear, quickly dressed into warm clothes and set out towards the toy factory.
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Standing at the kitchen counter, shuffling his feet to the music, he caught himself smiling from ear to ear.
toothy smile/grin
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Bafflingly for Barry, his hairy chest, toothy grin and even his ale and hearty tum couldn't win her over.
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He gave her a wide toothy grin, and immediately realized it was exactly the wrong approach.
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He is small for his age with large brown eyes, a toothy smile, sloping shoulders and a readiness to please.
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Her son holding his head beside the big carved pumpkin, mimicking a wide, toothy grin.
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Mike Dawson was sitting at a dead computer, strumming the keyboard and offering a toothy smile to an invisible audience.
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The toothy grin of this naturally modest farmer's son was less than villainous at the finish.
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The vessel features Major giving a toothy grin, considerably broader than the one on the Thatcher mug.
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Those who remembered him with his barrow recalled a cheerful, toothy smile, an infectious, confidence-inspiring laugh.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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'I've been a complete idiot', grinned Ian.
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"I guess we'll soon find out who's better," she said with a grin .
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Grinning shyly, he offered her a drink.
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She kept grinning at me as if we were old friends.
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She sat back down again, grinning broadly.
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She was holding the baby, and grinning from ear to ear.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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He grins cockily and knowingly, holding a couple of arrows in his hand-he's Cupid, after all.
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I grin at him with my eyes and check my watch.
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Mr Barraza was grinning, his teeth bright, his bulk overshadowing both of us.
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Then they both began to grin , and finally laughed out loud.
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There was what may have been a bishop's mitre on the skull, which grinned amiably up at us.
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Yanto grinned and twisted the throttle again.
II. noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
big
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Big men with big grins slumped half-sideways on their seats, shouting remarks to their neighbours.
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For once, his big grin was missing.
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The jam around Samuel's mouth was like a big cheery grin , but his eyes remained sullen.
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My clients, in three-piece pin-striped suits, stood around, statesmanlike, and some had big , happy grins .
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And the big grin was back with a vengeance.
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Karen looks back and flashes a big grin .
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Monday, the Colonel came back to lunch with a big grin on his face.
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A big grin appeared at the door, followed by the rest of Nigel, his trousers sodden to the waistband.
cheeky
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The smile that launched a career Fans of television presenter Michaela Strachan love her famous cheeky grin .
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But her mouth twitched in reply to his cheeky grin , and she sighed, visibly letting go some of her tension.
huge
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In one televised ceremony Elian smiled at Fidel, and Fidel smiled back from the podium, a huge grin .
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He was standing leaning on the console, a huge grin on his face.
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Caroline Oh absolutely, pile it on. Huge grin on Bernie's face.
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I was just walking around with a huge grin on my face.
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He gave them a huge grin and blew them a kiss.
little
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She gave a wry little grin , realising she had no real plan of action in mind.
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Tommy shoots me a little grin .
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I asked. Little kids' grins flashed back at me: yes!
lopsided
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Graham allowed himself a small, lopsided grin at that thought.
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His pride in her was distorted by his anxious, lopsided grin .
mischievous
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I was very shy but his mischievous grin put me at my ease and we strolled along behind Sally and her beau.
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Herbert D.. Kelleher is wearing a mischievous grin and clutching a Merit Ultima.
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High above she saw Mr Yeltsin in an undershirt, muscles bulging, and a mischievous grin on his sweaty face.
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Passion-killers both, she thought with a mischievous grin .
sheepish
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Then his smile became a sheepish grin and his shoulders hunched in a giggle.
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Mr Purtill also posed for a picture with Mr Major, managing to rustle up a sheepish grin .
sly
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A sly grin crossed his face as he thought of an alternative billet in which to spend what remained of the night.
toothy
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He gave her a wide toothy grin , and immediately realized it was exactly the wrong approach.
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Her son holding his head beside the big carved pumpkin, mimicking a wide, toothy grin .
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The toothy grin of this naturally modest farmer's son was less than villainous at the finish.
▪
Bafflingly for Barry, his hairy chest, toothy grin and even his ale and hearty tum couldn't win her over.
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The vessel features Major giving a toothy grin , considerably broader than the one on the Thatcher mug.
wicked
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Blondel's smile widened into a wicked grin .
wide
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He gave her a wide toothy grin , and immediately realized it was exactly the wrong approach.
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Her son holding his head beside the big carved pumpkin, mimicking a wide , toothy grin .
wry
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She gave a wry little grin , realising she had no real plan of action in mind.
■ VERB
flash
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Miller, obviously in charge, flashed a knowing grin .
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Karen looks back and flashes a big grin .
give
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He gave us a grin of yellow teeth.
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Nicky Black did a little cold-day dance, hands in pockets, giving a buck-tooth grin .
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Suddenly one of the best-known bandits in existence turns up, parks nearer us, and starts giving unknowing grins .
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The vessel features Major giving a toothy grin , considerably broader than the one on the Thatcher mug.
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Dadda didn't answer but gave his awkward humourless grin .
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She gave a wry little grin , realising she had no real plan of action in mind.
say
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Chun began by saying , with a grin , that he felt like a schoolboy undergoing examination in being interviewed by me.
wear
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Assistant coach Clive Charles wore a fixed grin .
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Herbert D.. Kelleher is wearing a mischievous grin and clutching a Merit Ultima.
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Her scrunched up face made her look as if she was wearing a perpetual mirthless grin .
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
broad smile/grin
smile/grin broadly
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Eventually he turns to me smiling broadly .
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Li Yuan grinned broadly , enjoying himself.
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Neville smiled broadly and turned towards the pumps.
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She smiles broadly when her name is called.
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The man took a well-timed opportunity to smile broadly , a smile that said everything if one knew how to read.
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They approached each other without hesitation, shook hands as if they were close friends and smiled broadly .
smile/grin etc from ear to ear
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Father smiled from ear to ear, and he and I both ate like fiends.
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He was grinning from ear to ear and pointing his finger up to the flies.
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Randolph, smiling from ear to ear, quickly dressed into warm clothes and set out towards the toy factory.
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Standing at the kitchen counter, shuffling his feet to the music, he caught himself smiling from ear to ear.
toothy smile/grin
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Bafflingly for Barry, his hairy chest, toothy grin and even his ale and hearty tum couldn't win her over.
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He gave her a wide toothy grin, and immediately realized it was exactly the wrong approach.
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He is small for his age with large brown eyes, a toothy smile, sloping shoulders and a readiness to please.
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Her son holding his head beside the big carved pumpkin, mimicking a wide, toothy grin.
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Mike Dawson was sitting at a dead computer, strumming the keyboard and offering a toothy smile to an invisible audience.
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The toothy grin of this naturally modest farmer's son was less than villainous at the finish.
▪
The vessel features Major giving a toothy grin, considerably broader than the one on the Thatcher mug.
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Those who remembered him with his barrow recalled a cheerful, toothy smile, an infectious, confidence-inspiring laugh.
wipe the smile/grin off sb's face
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I'd like to wipe that stupid grin off your face.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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Her face broke into a delighted grin .
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Joel gave her a wicked grin .
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The television camera captured his sheepish grin as he stepped from the train.
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William gave her a friendly grin as he walked past.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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And the big grin was back with a vengeance.
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And wry grins on their faces.
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Death could pop up anytime, a jarring jack-in-the-box with a fixed, bloody grin .
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He gave them a huge grin and blew them a kiss.
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I was very shy but his mischievous grin put me at my ease and we strolled along behind Sally and her beau.
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So maybe he already had the rundown on me when he gave me that sexy sneaky grin that day.
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The grin vanished like magic, her whole body stiffening in antipathy as her eyes locked with fathomless brown ones.
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Tommy shoots me a little grin .