Dictionary

begrudge en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /bɪˈɡɹʌd͡ʒ/ (UK, US)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English bigrucchen (“to grumble at”), equivalent to be- (“at, about, over”) + grudge. Compare also English begrouch.

Meanings

1. To grudge about or over; be envious or covetous.
2. To be reluctant.
3. (usually, with negative connotations) To give reluctantly.
   • Okay, then, next time you go and leave me stay here. See if I begrudge you a little fun. 1958 May, Avram Davidson, “Or All The Seas With Oysters”, in Galaxy Science Fiction, volume 16, number 1, page 50:
   • A defeat would have been harsh on the Gunners, especially after an improved rearguard action in the second half, but few could begrudge the German side a point from a match they dominated for long spells. 2011 September 13, Sam Lyon, “Borussia Dortmund 1 - 1 Arsenal”, in BBC:
   • “Trial’ll probably be Monday. You can keep him one night, can’t you? I don’t think anybody in Maycomb’ll begrudge me a client, with times this hard.” 1960 July 11, Harper Lee, chapter 15, in To Kill a Mockingbird, Philadelphia, Pa.; New York, N.Y.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott Company, →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

begrudgery · begrudger · begrudging · begrudgement

Translations (18)

uk бурчати (to grudge over) · uk жаліти (give reluctantly) · uk скупитися (give reluctantly) · cmn 吝惜 (give reluctantly) · cmn 不愿 (give reluctantly) · fi hangoitella (give reluctantly) · uk заздрити (be envious or covetous) · cmn 不愿 (give reluctantly) · nl benijden (be envious or covetous) · uk шкодувати (give reluctantly) · fi kadehtia (be envious or covetous) · cmn 勉强 (give reluctantly) · bg давам неохотно (give reluctantly) · mi takarita (to grudge over) · cmn 勉強 (give reluctantly) · bg завиждам (be envious or covetous) · grc μεγαίρω (give reluctantly) · cmn 妒忌 (be envious or covetous)