v.
Pronunciation: ' grä-v ə l, ' gr ə -
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Form: -eled or -elled ; -el · ing or -el · ling
Etymology: back-formation from groveling prone, from groveling, adverb, from Middle English, from gruf, adverb, on the face (fr. Old Norse ā gr ū fu ) + -ling
Date: 1552
1 : to creep with the face to the ground : CRAWL
2 a : to lie or creep with the body prostrate in token of subservience or abasement b : to abase oneself
3 : to give oneself over to what is base or unworthy : WALLOW < grovel ing in self-pity>
– grov · el · er \ -v ə l- ə r \ noun
– grov · el · ing · ly \ -v ə l-i ŋ -l ē \ adverb