Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) a brute.

1863		‘Edmund Kirke’ My Southern Friends 57: Smash his mug! Pluck the grizzly! Hurrah for Smith!
1983		C. Heath A-Team 2 (1984) 172: We’re gonna draw those grizzlies out there, turn ’em around and force ’em to run a very special gauntlet.
1999		E. Bunker Mr Blue 255: He still looked like a grizzly to me.

2. a Russian; the Russian people [bear n. (2)].

1885

Bulletin (Sydney) 25 Apr. 14/2: But soon there came a rumour which bursted up all his serenity of mind – the Russians were off Cape Otway, and the Victorian police were wanted to defend their country against the ‘Grizzly.’.

3. (US black) an unattractive woman [bear n. (1c)].

1970

Current Sl. V:2.