I. ˈgrēv noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English greif, greff, from Old English (Northumbrian) grœ̅fa; akin to Old English gerēfa reeve — more at reeve
1.
a. archaic : governor , sheriff
b. dialect England : grave III
2. chiefly Scotland : a farm manager, steward, or overseer
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English greven, from Old French grever, from Latin gravare to burden, oppress, from gravis heavy, grave; akin to Gothic kaurjos (nominative plural) heavy, kaurjan to weigh upon, Greek barys heavy, baros weight, Sanskrit guru heavy, important
transitive verb
1. archaic : to injure, harm, or hurt especially with disease
2. : to occasion grief to : cause to suffer : try , distress
the children's conduct grieved their grandmother
3. : to feel or show grief over
4. obsolete
a. : provoke , anger , enrage
b. : to weigh or press heavily upon
intransitive verb
1. : to feel grief : be in pain of mind on account of an evil : sorrow , mourn — often used with at, for, or over
grieving over their mother's death
must not grieve at such trifles
2. : to enter a grievance
Synonyms:
mourn , sorrow : grieve may suggest lasting mental suffering, manifested or not, often with a tendency to concentrate on one's loss or distress
he grieved, like an honest lad, to see his comrade left to face calamity alone — George Meredith
last winter she died also, and my days are passed in work, lest I should grieve for her — Amy Lowell
mourn may more strongly imply demonstration of grief, often a deep grief, as at a bereavement
national mourning for a dead sovereign
his widow … mourned him — C.B.Flood
sorrow may indicate deep distress tinged with regret and sadness
I feel it when I sorrow most: 'tis better to have loved and lost — Alfred Tennyson