Dictionary

grapevine en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈɡɹeɪp.vaɪn/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From grape + vine.

Meanings

1. The plant, a vine of genus Vitis, on which grapes grow.
   • Although many grapevines have geographical names, these rarely reflect their real origin, if known at all.
2. An informal person-to-person means of circulating information or gossip.
   • I heard through the grapevine that Jim will be leaving soon.
   • The grapevine was so fast that sometimes news was circulated before it happened. 2010, Don Briddell, The Republic of Crisfield, page 89:
   • Twitchers are very mobile and may travel great distances to see rare birds, of which they hear through their efficient ‘grapevine’. 1981, Peter Weaver, The Birdwatcher's Dictionary, London: T & AD Poyser, page 120:
   • I heard it through the grapevine Not much longer would you be mine. 1966, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong (songwriters), "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
   • The Bat—they called him the Bat. […] Most lone wolves had a moll at any rate—women were their ruin—but if the Bat had a moll, not even the grapevine telegraph could locate her. 1920, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Avery Hopwood, “The Shadow of the Bat”, in The Bat: A Novel from the Play (Dell Book; 241), New York, N.Y.: Dell Publishing Company, →OCLC, pages 6–7:
3. (qualifier:apparently primarily Indian English, rare) A rumor.
   • An image of Mohanlal with a tonsured head recently spread online and people started guessing about the film it belonged to. The majority guess was for a film directed by Prajith which had announced a character that was supposed to be acted by Mohanlal named Benz Vasu. But the director denied the grapevine and more guesses and assumptions starting flowing in. 2016, indiaglitz.com, "Thampi Kannanthanam confirms that Mohanlal's Rajavinte Makan Sequel not dropped" https://web.archive.org/web/20250121190706/https://www.indiaglitz.com/thampi-kannanthanam-confirms-that-mohanlals-rajavinte-makan-sequel-not-dropped-malayalam-news-174624
   • The grapevine was that Saina believed that Gopichand was focussing more on PV Sindhu.· 2020 January 13, “Pullela Gopichand blames Prakash Padukone for encouraging Saina Nehwal to leave Hyderabad”, in ESPN:
   • The legend, like all army grapevine, got around to me. 1937 February, Hudson Hawley, “There IS a Saluting Demon”, in American Legion Monthly, volume 22, number 2, page 23:
   • The grapevine was that the reason for the school closure was to do with the fact that a lot of students from Bonda had absconded to go to war because Bonda was close to the border between Mozambique and Zimbabwe. 2009, Sinikiwe Joyce Msindo, Sweet Lemons, page 9:
4. A move in which the feet are alternately placed in front of each other, while both remaining on the ice or ground, incorporating half-turns.
5. A leglock.
6. A dance figure in partner dancing that includes sidesteps and steps across the support foot. See Grapevine (dance move).

Forms

Deriveds

Murri grapevine · hear something through the grapevine · hear on the grapevine · grapevine moth · grapevine weevil · Koori grapevine · European grapevine moth · grapevine effect · grapevine knot

Relateds

horse's mouth

Synonyms

mulga wire · bush telegraph · rumor mill · jungle telegraph · jungle drums · winetree

Translations (180)

et viinapuu (the plant on which grapes grow) · th สายสนกลใน (informal means of circulating gossip) · sv vinranka (the plant on which grapes grow) · de Buschtrommel (informal means of circulating gossip) · ml മുന്തിരിവള്ളി (the plant on which grapes grow) · zza mew (the plant on which grapes grow) · dlm vaita (the plant on which grapes grow) · lzz ბინეხი (the plant on which grapes grow) · fr téléphone arabe (informal means of circulating gossip) · ar كَرْمَة (the plant on which grapes grow) · cy gwinwydd (the plant on which grapes grow) · el κλήμα (the plant on which grapes grow) · fr rumeur (informal means of circulating gossip) · te తీగ (the plant on which grapes grow) · hy խաղող (the plant on which grapes grow) · gl parra (the plant on which grapes grow) · es radio macuto (informal means of circulating gossip) · ota رز (the plant on which grapes grow) · ka ვაზი (the plant on which grapes grow) · hy որթատունկ (the plant on which grapes grow) · pt videira (the plant on which grapes grow) · gl vide (the plant on which grapes grow) · zza mewser (the plant on which grapes grow) · gl videira (the plant on which grapes grow) · mic aloqomanaqsi (the plant on which grapes grow) · gl viña (the plant on which grapes grow) · fr vigne (the plant on which grapes grow) · pl winorośl (the plant on which grapes grow) · hy որթ (the plant on which grapes grow) · no jungeltelegrafen (informal means of circulating gossip) · eo vinberujo (the plant on which grapes grow) · hu szőlőtő (the plant on which grapes grow) · bg лоза (the plant on which grapes grow) · ru виногра́д (the plant on which grapes grow) · scn viti (the plant on which grapes grow) · fo víntræ (the plant on which grapes grow) · ota آصمه (the plant on which grapes grow) · cs víno (the plant on which grapes grow) · yo àjàrà (the plant on which grapes grow) · th พรายกระซิบ (informal means of circulating gossip) · grc ἄμπελος (the plant on which grapes grow) · az meynə (the plant on which grapes grow) · srn mofokoranti (informal means of circulating gossip) · xmf ბინეხი (the plant on which grapes grow) · de Rebstock (the plant on which grapes grow) · hu szőlőtőke (the plant on which grapes grow) · sq hardhi (the plant on which grapes grow) · ga fíniúin (the plant on which grapes grow) · sh glasina (informal means of circulating gossip) · lt vynuogenojas (the plant on which grapes grow) · ko 넝쿨 (the plant on which grapes grow) · ist veîda (the plant on which grapes grow) · kmr mêw (the plant on which grapes grow) · he גֶּפֶן (the plant on which grapes grow) · fa انگور (the plant on which grapes grow) · nl wandelgangen (informal means of circulating gossip) · nl geruchtencircuit (informal means of circulating gossip) · hy խաղողի որթ (the plant on which grapes grow) · got 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌽𐌰𐍄𐍂𐌹𐌿 (the plant on which grapes grow) · la vīnea (the plant on which grapes grow) · pt parreira (the plant on which grapes grow) · vec végna (the plant on which grapes grow) · gv billey feeyney (the plant on which grapes grow) · sh vinova loza (the plant on which grapes grow) · no vindrue (the plant on which grapes grow) · ca vinya (the plant on which grapes grow) · ang wīntrēow (the plant on which grapes grow) · pt vinha (the plant on which grapes grow) · mk лоза (the plant on which grapes grow) · syc ܓܦܬܐ (the plant on which grapes grow) · el αμπέλι (the plant on which grapes grow) · gv billey feeyn (the plant on which grapes grow) · de Flurfunk (informal means of circulating gossip) · nci xocomecatl (the plant on which grapes grow) · kw gwinbren (the plant on which grapes grow) · ny mpesa (the plant on which grapes grow) · ar جَفْنَة (the plant on which grapes grow) · tr asma (the plant on which grapes grow) · no vinranke (the plant on which grapes grow) · vec vida (the plant on which grapes grow) · ab аӡахәа (the plant on which grapes grow) · th องุ่น (the plant on which grapes grow) · uga 𐎂𐎔𐎐 (the plant on which grapes grow) · tl baging (the plant on which grapes grow) · fi viiniköynnös (the plant on which grapes grow) · nrf vîngne (the plant on which grapes grow) · to kālepi (the plant on which grapes grow) · my စပျစ်ပင် (the plant on which grapes grow) · fi puskaradio (informal means of circulating gossip) · gl cepa (the plant on which grapes grow) · gl uveira (the plant on which grapes grow) · no vindrue (the plant on which grapes grow) · ckb مێو (the plant on which grapes grow) · cmn 葡萄樹 /葡萄树 (the plant on which grapes grow) · mia aahsanteepakwi (the plant on which grapes grow) · oc vinha (the plant on which grapes grow) · nl tamtam (informal means of circulating gossip) · mi aka wāina (the plant on which grapes grow) · enm vine (the plant on which grapes grow) · ast uvar (the plant on which grapes grow) · sw mzabibu (the plant on which grapes grow) · axm տոլի (the plant on which grapes grow) · fa مو (the plant on which grapes grow) · de Gerüchteküche (informal means of circulating gossip) · fur vît (the plant on which grapes grow) · ca parra (the plant on which grapes grow) · ro viță de vie (the plant on which grapes grow) · ko 포도 덩굴 (the plant on which grapes grow) · lt vynmedis (the plant on which grapes grow) · yua ak' (the plant on which grapes grow) · mnc ᡴᡠᠪᡠᡵᡥᡝᠨ (the plant on which grapes grow) · ko 덩굴 (the plant on which grapes grow) · sc bide (the plant on which grapes grow) · ru сарафа́нное ра́дио (informal means of circulating gossip) · ja 葡萄の蔓 (the plant on which grapes grow) · cmn 葡萄藤 (the plant on which grapes grow) · fi juoru (informal means of circulating gossip) · pms vis (the plant on which grapes grow) · it vitigno (the plant on which grapes grow) · sv djungeltelegrafen (informal means of circulating gossip) · pt rumor (informal means of circulating gossip) · nl wijnrank (the plant on which grapes grow) · fa میوانه (the plant on which grapes grow) · gl bacelo (the plant on which grapes grow) · gl pé (the plant on which grapes grow) · de Rebe (the plant on which grapes grow) · pon wain (the plant on which grapes grow) · hy վազ (the plant on which grapes grow) · nl geruchtenmolen (informal means of circulating gossip) · gl bacelada (the plant on which grapes grow) · es vid (the plant on which grapes grow) · syc ܕܠܝܬܐ (the plant on which grapes grow) · de Weinstock (the plant on which grapes grow) · it tam-tam (informal means of circulating gossip) · vi cây nho (the plant on which grapes grow) · vec vide (the plant on which grapes grow) · ru виногра́дная лоза́ (the plant on which grapes grow) · pl poczta pantoflowa (informal means of circulating gossip) · es parra (the plant on which grapes grow) · enm vine-tre (the plant on which grapes grow) · ru лоза́ (the plant on which grapes grow) · el άμπελος (the plant on which grapes grow) · xmf ბენე (the plant on which grapes grow) · ro viță (the plant on which grapes grow) · nl druivelaar (the plant on which grapes grow) · sq vile (the plant on which grapes grow) · az tənək (the plant on which grapes grow) · de Buschtrommeln (informal means of circulating gossip) · io vito (the plant on which grapes grow) · de Urwaldtrommel (informal means of circulating gossip) · la vītis (the plant on which grapes grow) · tr üzüm asması (the plant on which grapes grow) · cs vinná réva (the plant on which grapes grow) · no vinranke (the plant on which grapes grow) · alt виноград (the plant on which grapes grow) · eo vinberarbo (the plant on which grapes grow) · mi tiriwae (a move in skating.) · srn moforadio (informal means of circulating gossip) · izh viinamarja (the plant on which grapes grow) · ar دَالِيَة (the plant on which grapes grow) · ja 噂 (informal means of circulating gossip) · pt telefone sem fio (informal means of circulating gossip) · sc vide (the plant on which grapes grow) · eo vito (the plant on which grapes grow) · zza mosêr (the plant on which grapes grow) · it vite (the plant on which grapes grow) · fa رز (the plant on which grapes grow) · unm wisahkimënshi (the plant on which grapes grow) · de Weinrebe (the plant on which grapes grow) · is vínviður (the plant on which grapes grow) · es rumor (informal means of circulating gossip) · to fuʻu kālepi (the plant on which grapes grow) · fa تاک (the plant on which grapes grow) · nl wijnstok (the plant on which grapes grow) · ast vide (the plant on which grapes grow) · ja 蔓 (the plant on which grapes grow) · hu azt csiripelik a verebek (informal means of circulating gossip) · da vinstok (the plant on which grapes grow) · fi hevosmiesten uutistoimisto (informal means of circulating gossip) · ia vite (the plant on which grapes grow)

grapevine en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈɡɹeɪp.vaɪn/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From grape + vine.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To restrain in a leglock.
   • So now she's grapevined me, I can't straighten my legs, which means I can't generate the momentum I need to bridge. 2022, David Young, Sean Black, The Ground Is My Ocean:
   • From the top he grapevined his leg around Tibbits' leg and planted his elbow in his opponent's opposite side. 2007, Steve Wolfe, Call Us Champions: More Alaska Wrestling Stories:
   • The Low Mount is the position where your hips are tight to your opponent's and your legs are usually grapevined or locked underneath his. 2008, Saulo Ribeiro, Jiu-Jitsu University:
2. (transitive) To drape or curl around adjacent objects.
   • I drove around town looking at the limp glitter of Christmas decorations grapevined around traffic lights which just blinked after a certain hour, even on a Friday night. 2012, Daniel Handler, Watch Your Mouth:
   • This results from the plug wires being grapevined around each other too closely. 1953 October, E.F. Lindsley, “What You Can Do With Spark-Plug Tester”, in Popular Science, volume 163, number 4, page 204:
   • I grapevined my right arm around one of his legs, then flung myself backward to the ground, slamming the knife-wielding idiot into the ground, and my shoulders into the idiot. 2020, Laurell K.Hamilton, Fantastic Hope:
   • A matted beard tingled from his shin and grapevined all over the exposed parts of his body. 2017, Aben Kandel, City for Conquest:
   • Balance on the back of the sit bones with the arms “grapevined” under the calves, with hands wrapping around to hold the ankles. 2014, Celeste Corey-Zopich, Brett Howard, Dawn-Marie Ickes, Pilates for Children and Adolescents:
3. (intransitive) To move one's body in a smooth undulating wave while stepping in the direction the wave is moving.
   • The underwear-baker grapevined down the length of the display and grabbed a to-go box from the stack on top of it. 2020, Emily Henry, Beach Read:
   • When the room grapevined left, I grapevined right, causing a head-on collision with the lady next to me. 2023, Betsy Schow, Finished Being Fat: An Accidental Adventure in Losing Weight:
   • Up on the stage, the dancers twirled and whirled in time to the music and then grapevined across the broad expanse and exited stage left. 2013, S.C. Rackes, Cast a Dark Shadow, page 25:
4. (transitive) To score mortar at a joint.
   • Generally the mortar line was “grapevined” (scored) and “penciled” (the score painted with a fine white line), which separated each brick. 2021, Clay Lancaster, Antebellum Architecture of Kentucky:
   • The bridge is faced with rusticated stone and grapevined mortar joints, a trademark of WPA-built structures in southeast Colorado, and features beveled stone piers, corbeled copings and tapered voussoirs for the arches. 1986, Rebecca Herbst, Vicki Rottman, Historic Bridges of Colorado, page 88:
5. (intransitive, transitive) Of information, to spread as a rumor.
   • Word of the fight grapevined fast, and from all the other bonus army camps reinforcements rushed in. 2009, Katharine Graham, Katharine Graham's Washington:
   • For several years, as Mr. Watson's challenge gradually grapevined its way through the business world, many business groups asked Mr. Russell to speak at their directors' meetings and conventions. 1958, Walter Russell, Lao Russell, The World Crisis: Its Explanation and Solution, page 94:
   • But the story grapevined around to Marshal Petain. 1964, Dorothy Shipley White, Seeds of Discord, page 27:
6. (intransitive, transitive) Of a person or group, to spread (a rumor).
   • The doctor's orders were soon grapevined around the league, and all the bench jockeys on the circuit were quickly counting ten on every pitch Lefty made. 2014, Gordon S. (Mickey) Cochrane, Baseball: The Fans' Game, page 125:
   • It will not only be long remembered by the nine million Chinese on Formosa and the twelve and half million overseas Chinese, but will soon be grapevined to the Chinese mainland and whispered there from person to person among the hundreds of millions of Chinese who have been living and suffering for the last five years under Communist tyranny. 2022, Chih-Ping Chou, Carlos Lin, Power of Freedom: Hu Shih's Political Writings, page 282:
   • His flock had already grapevined the what and why. 2015, Robert A. Bonner, Embers in the Ashes (Of History and Indifference):
7. (transitive) To link up through an informal communication network.
   • But with the Negro foster homes in Pasadena grapevined together, the circumstances of little Narva did not make anyone enthusiastic about taking her into their homes. 2005, Okeyo A. Jumal, Spiritual Shackles: Historical Novel, page 63:

Forms