grovel (redirected from groveled)

grov·el  (grvl, grv-)

intr.v. grov·eled also grov·elled, grov·el·ing also grov·el·ling, grov·els also grov·els

1. To behave in a servile or demeaning manner; cringe.

2. To lie or creep in a prostrate position, as in subservience or humility.

3. To give oneself over to base pleasures: "Have we not groveled here long enough, eating and drinking like mere brutes?" Walt Whitman.

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[Back-formation from obsolete groveling, prone, face downward, from Middle English : (on) grufe, face downwards (from Old Norse grfu, from grfa, to grovel) + -ling, adv. suff.; see -ling².]

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grovel·er n.

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grovel [grov-el]

Verb

[-elling, -elled] or US [-eling, -eled]

1. to behave excessively humbly towards someone, esp. a superior, in an attempt to win his or her favour

2. to crawl on the floor, often in search of something: grovelling on the floor for missing cards [Middle English on grufe on the face]

grovelling or US
groveling adjn

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

grovel - show submission or fear fawn, cringe, cower, crawl, creep bend, flex - form a curve; "The stick does not bend"

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grovel

verb humble yourself, creep, crawl, flatter, fawn, pander, cower, toady, kowtow, bow and scrape, lick someone's boots, demean yourself, abase yourself << OPPOSITE hold your head high

Translations

grovel [ˈgrɔvl] vi (fig) → arrastrarse

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grovel [ˈgrɔvl] vi (fig);

to grovel (before) → ramper (devant)

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grovel [ˈgrɔvl] vi (crawl) → kriechen (fig);

to grovel (before) → kriechen (vor +dat)

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grovel [ˈgrɔvl] vi (fig): to grovel (before) → strisciare (di fronte a)