John Niven

It's tough being a dictator, but I've always thought it must be tougher being a hanger-on to a dictator. The late nights spent listening to his crazed ranting, the weary rictus grin from smiling at bad jokes, the draining knowledge that one misjudged comment could land you on the chopping block.

Scottish Author

Rictus often indicates a grim or forced situation, not a genuine smile.

Negative Tone

A rictus can be used to hide true feelings, giving nothing away.

Masking Emotion

Rictus emphasizes the intensity of an emotion, often discomfort or distress.

Intensity

Rictus is specifically used for describing birds' open mouths, often young ones.

Young Birds

Often, a bird’s rictus is mentioned when it's feeding time or they're hungry.

Feeding Context

Rictus can refer to the width of a bird's mouth, indicating how wide it is.