grovelling

  • 1Grovelling — Grovel Grov el, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Groveled}or {Grovelled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Groveling} or {Grovelling}.] [From OE. grovelinge, grufelinge, adv., on the face, prone, which was misunderstood as a p. pr.; cf. OE. gruf, groff, in the same sense;… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2grovelling — groveling grov el*ing, grovelling grov el*ling, a. Lying prone; low; debased; submissive in a self abasing manner. A groveling creature. Cowper. Syn: cringing, wormlike, wormy. [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3grovelling — Synonyms and related words: abject, apple polishing, ass kissing, base, brown nosing, cowering, crawling, cringing, fawning, kowtowing, low, mean, obsequious, scraping, servile, slavish, sordid, submissive, subservient, sycophantish, toadying,… …

    Moby Thesaurus

  • 4grovelling — grov·el·ling || grÊŒvlɪŋ ,grÉ‘v / grÉ’v adj. base, abject, contemptible grov·el || grÉ‘vl , grÊŒvl / grÉ’vl v. crawl; beg; be servile; prostrate oneself; humiliate oneself …

    English contemporary dictionary

  • 5grovelling — a. 1. Creeping, crouching, squat. 2. Low, mean, base, vile, abject, servile, slavish, cringing, fawning, beggarly, sneaking, earth born, undignified, unworthy, without elevation …

    New dictionary of synonyms

  • 6grovelling — See: grovel …

    English dictionary

  • 7grovelling — adjective totally submissive • Syn: ↑cringing, ↑groveling, ↑wormlike, ↑wormy • Similar to: ↑submissive …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 8grovel — grov|el [ˈgrɔvəl US ˈgra: , ˈgrʌ ] v past tense and past participle grovelled present participle grovelling BrE past tense and past participle groveled present participle groveling AmE [Date: 1800 1900; Origin: groveling lying face downward (16… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 9grovel — verb (grovels, grovelling, grovelled; US grovels, groveling, groveled) 1》 crouch or crawl abjectly on the ground. 2》 act obsequiously to obtain forgiveness or favour. Derivatives groveller noun grovelling …

    English new terms dictionary

  • 10grovel — v.intr. (grovelled, grovelling; US groveled, groveling) 1 behave obsequiously in seeking favour or forgiveness. 2 lie prone in abject humility. Derivatives: groveller n. grovelling adj. grovellingly adv. Etymology: back form. f. obs. grovelling… …

    Useful english dictionary