[grunt] vb [ME grunten, fr. OE grunnettan, freq. of grunian, of imit. origin] vi (bef. 12c): to utter a grunt ~ vt: to utter with a grunt -- grunt.er n
[2]grunt n (1553) 1 a: the deep short sound characteristic of a hog b: a similar sound
2. [fr. the noise it makes when taken from the water]: any of a family (Haemulidae syn. Pomadasyidae) of chiefly tropical marine bony fishes
3: a dessert made by dropping biscuit dough on top of boiling berries and steaming "blueberry ~"
4: a U.S. army or marine foot soldier esp. in the Vietnam war
5: one who does routine unglamorous work--often used attributively "~ work"