Something twisted and tight and swollen:
— The old man's fists were two great gnarls.

synonym: knot.

Roget 59a: complexity; complexness etc. adj.; complexus^†; complication, implication; intricacy, intrication^†; perplexity; network, labyrinth; wilderness, jungle; involution, raveling, entanglement; coil etc. (convolution) 248; sleave^†, tangled skein, knot, Gordian knot, wheels within wheels; kink, gnarl, knarl^†; webwork^†.    [complexity if a task or action] difficulty etc. 704.    ... show more

Dutch: bluts
Polish: węzeł, knot, w.

Twist into a state of deformity.

Roget 900: resent, take amiss, take ill, take to heart, take offense, take umbrage, take huff, take exception; take in ill part, take in bad part, take in dudgeon; ne pas entendre raillerie [Fr.]; breathe revenge, cut up rough.    fly into a rage, fall into a rage, get into a rage, fly into a passion; bridle up, bristle up, froth up, fire up, flare up; open the vials of one's wrath, pour out the vials of one's wrath.    pout, knit the brow, frown, scowl, lower, snarl, growl, gnarl, gnash, snap; redden, color; look black, look black as thunder, look daggers; bite one's thumb; show one's teeth, grind one's teeth; champ the bit, champ at the bit.    chafe, mantle, fume, kindle, fly out, take fire; boil, boil over; boil with indignation, boil with rage; rage, storm, foam, vent one's rage, vent one's spleen; lose one's temper, stand on one's hind legs, stamp the foot, stamp with rage, quiver with rage, swell with rage, foam with rage; burst with anger; raise Cain.    have a fling at; bear malice etc. (revenge) 919.    cause anger, raise anger; affront, offend; give offense, give umbrage; anger; hurt the feelings; insult, discompose, fret, ruffle, nettle, huff, pique; excite etc. 824; irritate, stir the blood, stir up bile; sting, sting to the quick; rile, provoke, chafe, wound, incense, inflame, enrage, aggravate, add fuel to the flame, fan into a flame, widen the breach, envenom, embitter, exasperate, infuriate, kindle wrath; stick in one's gizzard; rankle etc. 919; hit on the raw, rub on the raw, sting on the raw, strike on the raw.    put out of countenance, put out of humor; put one's monkey up, put one's back up; raise one's gorge, raise one's dander, raise one's choler; work up into a passion; make one's blood boil, make the ears tingle; throw, into a ferment, madden, drive one mad; lash into fury, lash into madness; fool to the top of one's bent; set by the ears.    bring a hornet's nest about one's ears.    ... show more

Make complaining remarks or noises under one's breath.

synonyms: croak, grumble, murmur, mutter.

Roget 909: threat, threaten; menace; snarl, growl, gnarl, mutter, bark, bully.    defy etc. 715; intimidate etc. 860; keep in terrorem [Lat.], hold up in terrorem [Lat.], hold out in terrorem [Lat.]; shake the fist at, double the fist at, clinch the fist at; thunder, talk big, fulminate, use big words, bluster, look daggers, stare daggers.    ... show more

Dutch: morren, murmureren