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¹grave

verb \ˈgrāv\

gravedgrav·en \ˈgrā-vən\ or gravedgrav·ing

Definition of GRAVE

transitive verb

archaic : dig, excavate

a : to carve or shape with a chisel : sculpture

b : to carve or cut (as letters or figures) into a hard surface : engrave

: to impress or fix (as a thought) deeply

Origin of GRAVE

Middle English, from Old English grafan; akin to Old High German graban to dig, Old Church Slavic pogreti to bury

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with GRAVE

brave, cave, clave, crave, fave, glaive, knave, lave, nave, pave, rave, save, shave, slave, stave, waive, wave, Wave

²grave

noun

Definition of GRAVE

: an excavation for burial of a body; broadly : a burial place

a : death 1a

b : death 4

Origin of GRAVE

Middle English, from Old English græf; akin to Old High German grab grave, Old English grafan to dig

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with GRAVE

ave

³grave

verb

gravedgrav·ing

Definition of GRAVE

transitive verb

: to clean and pay with pitch <grave a ship's bottom>

Origin of GRAVE

Middle English graven

First Known Use: 15th century

⁴grave

adjective \ˈgrāv, in sense 5 often ˈgräv\

grav·ergrav·est

Definition of GRAVE

a obsolete : authoritative, weighty

b : meriting serious consideration : important <grave problems>

c : likely to produce great harm or danger <a grave mistake>

d : significantly serious : considerable, great <grave importance>

: having a serious and dignified quality or demeanor <a grave and thoughtful look>

: drab in color : somber

: low-pitched in sound

a of an accent mark : having the form `

b : marked with a grave accent

c : of the variety indicated by a grave accent

— grave·ly adverb

— grave·ness noun

Origin of GRAVE

Middle French, from Latin gravis heavy, grave — more at grieve

First Known Use: 1539

Synonym Discussion of GRAVE

serious, grave, solemn, sedate, staid, sober, earnest mean not light or frivolous. serious implies a concern for what really matters <a serious play about social injustice>. grave implies both seriousness and dignity in expression or attitude <read the proclamation in a grave voice>. solemn suggests an impressive gravity utterly free from levity <a sad and solemn occasion>. sedate implies a composed and decorous seriousness <remained sedate amid the commotion>. staid suggests a settled, accustomed sedateness and prim self-restraint <a quiet and staid community>. sober stresses seriousness of purpose and absence of levity or frivolity <a sober look at the state of our schools>. earnest suggests sincerity or often zealousness of purpose <an earnest reformer>.

⁵grave

noun \ˈgrāv, ˈgräv\

Definition of GRAVE

: a grave accent ` used to show that a vowel is pronounced with a fall of pitch (as in ancient Greek), that a vowel has a certain quality (as è in French), that a final e is stressed and close and that a final o is stressed and low (as in Italian), that a syllable has a degree of stress between maximum and minimum (as in phonetic transcription), or that the e of the English ending -ed is to be pronounced (as in “this cursèd day”)

First Known Use of GRAVE

1609

⁶grave

adverb or adjective gra·ve \ˈgrä-(ˌ)vā\

Definition of GRAVE

: slowly and solemnly —used as a direction in music

Origin of GRAVE

Italian, literally, grave, from Latin gravis

First Known Use: 1683

GRAVE Defined for Kids

¹grave

noun \ˈgrāv\

Definition of GRAVE for Kids

: a hole in the ground for burying a dead body

²grave

adjective

grav·ergrav·est

Definition of GRAVE for Kids

: very serious : important <grave danger> <a grave discussion>

: serious in appearance or manner <a grave voice>

— grave·ly adverb

Word Root of GRAVE

The Latin word gravis, meaning “heavy” or “serious,” gives us the root grav. Words from the Latin gravis have something to do with heaviness or seriousness. Something grave, or important, such as a situation, requires serious thought and consideration. To aggravate is to make a situation more serious. Gravity is a force that pulls everything towards the ground making it feel heavy.

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