From Middle English grave, grafe, from Old English græf, grafu (“cave, grave, trench”), from Proto-West Germanic *grab, from Proto-Germanic *grabą, *grabō (“grave, trench, ditch”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrebʰ- (“to dig, scratch, scrape”). Cognate with West Frisian grêf (“grave”), Dutch graf (“grave”), Low German Graf (“a grave”), Graff, German Grab (“grave”), Danish, Swedish and Norwegian grav (“grave”), Icelandic gröf (“grave”). Related to groove.
Meanings
(countable, qualifier:strictly, uncountable) An excavation in the earth as a place of burial.
He had lain in the grave four days. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 11:17:
Let mee not be ashamed, O Lord, for I haue called vpon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the graue. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 31:17:
They reached the cemetery. The men went right down to a place in the grass where a grave was dug. They ranged themselves all round; and while the priest spoke, the red soil thrown up at the sides kept noiselessly slipping down at the corners. 1856, Gustave Flaubert, translated by Eleanor Marx-Aveling, Madame Bovary, Part III, Chapter X:
(broadly, countable, uncountable) Any place of interment.
(countable, qualifier:very loosely, uncountable) Any place containing one or more corpses.
(broadly, uncountable) Death, destruction.
[…]Meeting is pleasure, parting is a grief; / An inconstant lover is worse than a thief; / A thief can but rob you, and take all you have, / An inconstant lover will bring you to the grave![…] a. 1769, unknown, The Cuckoo, archived from the original on 26 Sep 2019, lines 9–12:
[…]balanced on the biggest wave you race towards an early grave. 1973, “Breathe”, in Roger Waters (lyrics), David Gilmour and Richard Wright (music), The Dark Side of the Moon, performed by Pink Floyd:
(broadly, uncountable) Deceased people; the dead.
"Hold your jaw, woman! I've had enough to vex me to-day without you startin' your tantrums. You're jealous of the grave. That's wot's the matter with you." "And her brats can insult me as they like - me that 'as cared for you these five years." 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:
my သင်္ချိုင်း (excavation for burial) · cy bedd (excavation for burial) · sh grȍb (excavation for burial) · oc sepulcre (excavation for burial) · gd uaigh (excavation for burial) · az qəbir (excavation for burial) · so qabri (excavation for burial) · ang byrġen (excavation for burial) · bn কবর (excavation for burial) · pdt Grauf (excavation for burial) · is gröf (excavation for burial) · lo ຂຸມຝັງສົບ (excavation for burial) · srn grebi (excavation for burial) · am መቃብር (excavation for burial) · br bez (excavation for burial) · pt túmulo (excavation for burial) · lo ຊຸມຜີ (excavation for burial) · kmr gorr (excavation for burial) · fy grêf (excavation for burial) · ka საფლავი (excavation for burial) · rm fossa (excavation for burial) · alt ӧлгӧн јер (excavation for burial) · wym graob (excavation for burial) · ar قبر (excavation for burial) · lad arón (excavation for burial) · tr makber (excavation for burial) · pt cova (excavation for burial) · gl sepultura (excavation for burial) · la sepulcrum (excavation for burial) · ru моги́ла (excavation for burial) · ace kubu (excavation for burial) · kmr ziyaret (excavation for burial) · tr mezar (excavation for burial) · kmr mezar (excavation for burial) · tru ܩܰܘܪܳܐ (excavation for burial) · ky мүрдө (excavation for burial) · sw kaburi (excavation for burial) · krc къабыр (excavation for burial) · zh 墳墓 /坟墓 (excavation for burial) · nb grav (excavation for burial) · et haud (excavation for burial) · om awaala (excavation for burial) · ky мүрзө (excavation for burial) · zlw-slv grób (excavation for burial) · he קֶבֶר (excavation for burial) · be гроб (excavation for burial) · kpv гу (excavation for burial) · cdo 墳墓 /坟墓 (excavation for burial) · ota قبر (excavation for burial) · ang græf (excavation for burial) · os цирт (excavation for burial) · tr gömüt (excavation for burial) · da grav (excavation for burial) · kmr merzel (excavation for burial) · mk гроб (excavation for burial) · be магі́ла (excavation for burial) · cop ⲃⲏ (excavation for burial) · kk қабыр (excavation for burial) · ro mormânt (excavation for burial) · zza mezel (excavation for burial) · tg гӯр (excavation for burial) · ast fuosa (Tox) (excavation for burial) · sv grav (excavation for burial) · uk моги́ла (excavation for burial) · ast fuoca (Tox) (excavation for burial) · ka სამარე (excavation for burial) · as কবৰ (excavation for burial) · ovd grav (excavation for burial) · mn ᠪᠤᠯᠠᠰᠢ (excavation for burial) · gl burata (excavation for burial) · fa قَبْر (excavation for burial) · ar قبر (excavation for burial) · sk hrob (excavation for burial) · kk мазар (excavation for burial) · ast guosa (Tox) (excavation for burial) · uz qubur (excavation for burial) · arc ܩܲܒ݂ܪܵܐ (excavation for burial) · ko 묘 (excavation for burial) · gl cova (excavation for burial) · ltg kops (excavation for burial) · ab адамра (excavation for burial) · djk geebi (excavation for burial) · ln lilita (excavation for burial) · rif anḍer (excavation for burial) · ar ضَرِيح (excavation for burial) · zh фынкын (excavation for burial) · sq varr (excavation for burial) · ko 무덤 (excavation for burial) · alt межик (excavation for burial) · rsk гроб (excavation for burial) · mph yurk (excavation for burial) · za moh (excavation for burial) · tk mazar (excavation for burial) · sl gròb (excavation for burial) · hu sír (excavation for burial) · uz goʻr (excavation for burial) · th หลุมศพ (excavation for burial) · cs hrob (excavation for burial) · kmr tirb (excavation for burial) · zh 墳墓 /坟墓 (excavation for burial) · ky бейит (excavation for burial) · ms pusara (excavation for burial) · de Grab (excavation for burial) · lad ארון (excavation for burial) · udm шайгу (excavation for burial) · ast güesa (Pravia) (excavation for burial) · wal duufuwa (excavation for burial) · hi गोर (excavation for burial) · ar قَبْر (excavation for burial) · alt сӧӧк салар оро (excavation for burial) · km ផ្នូរ (excavation for burial) · lo ຂຸມເຮ່ວ (excavation for burial) · zh фын (excavation for burial) · rup groapã (excavation for burial) · ast cabuercu (excavation for burial) · tg қабр (excavation for burial) · kw bedh (excavation for burial) · lb Graf (excavation for burial) · gv oaie (excavation for burial) · uk гріб (excavation for burial) · ky көр (excavation for burial) · pl mogiła (excavation for burial) · el τάφος (excavation for burial) · hak 墳墓 /坟墓 (excavation for burial) · nn grav (excavation for burial) · tt кабер (excavation for burial) · af graf (excavation for burial) · fa گور (excavation for burial) · sh гро̏б (excavation for burial) · sv grift (excavation for burial) · ast furaca (Palacios del Sil) (excavation for burial) · yi קבֿר (excavation for burial) · zza qebır (excavation for burial) · wuu 墳墓 /坟墓 (excavation for burial) · grc τάφος (excavation for burial) · fr tombe (excavation for burial) · ja 墓 (excavation for burial) · nv jishchááʼ (excavation for burial) · yi קבֿרל (excavation for burial) · vi mả (excavation for burial) · hi क़ब्र (excavation for burial) · yue 墳墓 /坟墓 (excavation for burial) · fo grøv (excavation for burial) · fa گور (excavation for burial) · az məzar (excavation for burial) · id kubur (excavation for burial) · ca tomba (excavation for burial) · ba ҡәбер (excavation for burial) · hy գերեզման (excavation for burial) · cu могꙑла (excavation for burial) · rhg hobor (excavation for burial) · lt kapas (excavation for burial) · bn সমাধি (excavation for burial) · ps قبر (excavation for burial) · krc кёр (excavation for burial) · ug قەبرە (excavation for burial) · tr sin (excavation for burial) · ace jeurat (excavation for burial) · mt qabar (excavation for burial) · gmq-pro ᚺᛚᚨᛁᚹᚨ (excavation for burial) · kl iliveq (excavation for burial) · tr kabir (excavation for burial) · pt sepultura (excavation for burial) · orv гробъ (excavation for burial) · bua хүүр (excavation for burial) · ruq murmint (excavation for burial) · es sepultura (excavation for burial) · vi phần mộ (excavation for burial) · yi גרוב (excavation for burial) · ca sepulcre (excavation for burial) · ckb قەبر (excavation for burial) · fi hauta (excavation for burial) · bg гроб (excavation for burial) · wyi tham-bŭr (excavation for burial) · eo tombo (excavation for burial) · it fossa (excavation for burial) · vi mồ (excavation for burial) · hi समाधि (excavation for burial) · oc tomba (excavation for burial) · ur قَبْر (excavation for burial) · kbd кхъэ (excavation for burial) · kk көр (excavation for burial) · tk gör (excavation for burial) · mn булш (excavation for burial) · ast mortera (excavation for burial) · os ингӕн (excavation for burial) · cu гробъ (excavation for burial) · kmr qebir (excavation for burial) · tt гүр (excavation for burial) · alt сӧӧк салган јер (excavation for burial) · ti መቓብር (excavation for burial) · nl graf (excavation for burial) · es fosa (excavation for burial) · koi шойгу (excavation for burial) · ast cagüercu (excavation for burial) · pl grób (excavation for burial) · taa tth'enh k'at (excavation for burial) · ckb گۆڕ (excavation for burial) · uz qabr (excavation for burial) · lv kaps (excavation for burial) · it tomba (excavation for burial) · ady хъэ (excavation for burial) · kjj зийарт (excavation for burial) · fa قَبْر (excavation for burial) · ast sepultura (excavation for burial) · ar قبر (excavation for burial) · tr metfen (excavation for burial) · so xabaal (excavation for burial) · nrf tombe (excavation for burial) · ca sepultura (excavation for burial) · unm mahchikamik (excavation for burial) · rhg kobor (excavation for burial) · ur گور (excavation for burial) · nrf fôsse (excavation for burial) · bni lilita (excavation for burial) · ga uaigh (excavation for burial) · sid moogo (excavation for burial) · th หลุมฝังศพ (excavation for burial) · ms kubur (excavation for burial) · udi ҝаьраьмзаь (excavation for burial) · vi mộ (excavation for burial) · uga 𐎖𐎁𐎗 (excavation for burial) · oc sepultura (excavation for burial) · se hávdi (excavation for burial) · rup murmintu (excavation for burial) · ba гүр (excavation for burial) · wym grob (excavation for burial) · ady бэны (excavation for burial) · alt сӧӧктӧр (excavation for burial) · dsb row (excavation for burial)
From Middle English graven, from Old English grafan (“to dig, dig up, grave, engrave, carve, chisel”), from Proto-Germanic *grabaną (“to dig”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrebʰ- (“to dig, scratch, scrape”). Cognate with Dutch graven (“to dig”), German graben (“to dig”), Danish grave (“to dig”), Swedish gräva (“to dig”), Icelandic grafa (“to dig”).
Meanings
(archaic, transitive) To dig.
He hath graven and digged up a pit. 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, vij:[16]:
(archaic, intransitive) To carve or cut, as letters or figures, on some hard substance; to engrave.
'It may be so,' I answered; 'but if the loved one prove a broken reed to pierce us, or if the love be loved in vain - what then? Shall a man grave his sorrows upon a stone when he hath but need to write them on the water?' 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
Deep lines were graven on her pale forehead, and on her wan, thin cheeks. 1872, James De Mille, The Cryptogram, HTML edition, The Gutenberg Project, published 2009:
Thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 28:9:
a. 1894, Robert Louis Stevenson, "Requiem"
This be the verse you grave for me / "Here he lies where he longs to be"
(archaic, transitive) To carve out or give shape to, by cutting with a chisel; to sculpture.
to grave an image
(archaic, intransitive) To impress deeply (on the mind); to fix indelibly.
O! may they graven in thy heart remain. 1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Solomon on the Vanity of the World. A Poem in Three Books.”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC, (please specify the page):
(archaic, transitive) To entomb; to bury.
[…]And lie full low, graved in the hollow ground. 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
(archaic, intransitive) To write or delineate on hard substances, by means of incised lines; to practice engraving.
mk изграви́ра (to carve letters or similar) · bg гравирам (to carve letters or similar) · ru гравирова́ть (to carve letters or similar) · fr graver (to carve letters or similar) · bg изрязвам (to carve to give a shape) · es esculpir (to carve to give a shape) · da skulptere (to carve to give a shape) · fr sculpter (to carve to give a shape) · sh oblikovati (to carve to give a shape) · af graveer (to carve letters or similar) · sh urezati (to carve letters or similar) · mk грави́ра (to carve letters or similar) · bg запечатвам (to impress on the mind) · mk обли́кува (to carve to give a shape) · it intagliare (to carve letters or similar) · sq gdhend (to carve letters or similar) · fr graver (to impress on the mind) · sq kru (to carve letters or similar) · af ets (to impress on the mind) · ru произвести́ впечатле́ние (to impress on the mind) · enm graven (to impress on the mind) · ru выреза́ть (to carve letters or similar) · mk вре́же (to carve letters or similar) · ga grábháil (to carve letters or similar) · ru производи́ть впечатле́ние (to impress on the mind) · fi kaivertaa (to carve letters or similar) · af ets (to carve letters or similar) · mk ре́зба (to carve to give a shape) · it scolpire (to carve to give a shape) · enm graven (to carve to give a shape) · da gravere (to carve letters or similar) · fi kaivertaa (to carve to give a shape) · da etse (to impress on the mind) · es tallar (to carve to give a shape) · es grabar (to impress on the mind) · sq gdhend (to carve to give a shape) · it imprimere (to impress on the mind) · mk дла́би (to carve to give a shape) · mk вре́жува (to carve letters or similar) · fr tailler (to carve to give a shape) · ga grábháil (to carve to give a shape) · es grabar (to carve letters or similar) · enm graven (to carve letters or similar)
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *gʷreh₂-
Proto-Indo-European *-us
Proto-Indo-European *gʷréh₂us
Proto-Italic *gʷraus
Latin gravis
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.
Proto-Italic *-ājō
Proto-Italic *-āō
Latin -ō
Medieval Latin gravō
Medieval Latin gravader.
Old French grave
Middle French gravebor.
English grave
From Middle French grave, a learned borrowing from Latin gravis (“heavy, important”). Compare Old French greve (“terrible, dreadful”). Doublet of grief.
Meanings
Characterised by a dignified sense of seriousness.
[Mercuti] Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man. c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
Low in pitch, tone etc.
The thicker the cord or string, the more grave is the note or tone. 1854, John Weeks Moore, Encyclopedia of Music:
Serious, in a negative sense; important, formidable.
Khrushchev made a grave miscalculation when he failed to appreciate the growing opposition to his power and overestimated the support of his bureaucracy. 2017, Vladimir Shlapentokh, A Normal Totalitarian Society, page 80:
Israel’s behaviour is doing grave damage to the Palestinian people and to any hope for peace. 2016 February 6, James Zogby, “Israel’s prickliness blocks the long quest for peace”, in The National:
(dated, of a sound) Dull, produced in the middle or back of the mouth. (See Grave and acute on Wikipedia.Wikipedia )
(obsolete) Influential, important; authoritative.
An illiterate fool sits in a mans seat; and the common people hold him learned, grave, and wise. 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 7:
fr grave (serious in a negative sense) · de dumpf (low in pitch, tone) · es sombrío (having a sense of seriousness) · el βαρύς (having a sense of seriousness) · ro grav (low in pitch, tone) · ru серьёзный (having a sense of seriousness) · ca greu (low in pitch, tone) · ota دولك (having a sense of seriousness) · sh preozbiljan (serious in a negative sense) · bg тежък (serious in a negative sense) · de furchtgebietend (serious in a negative sense) · zh 低頻 /低频 (low in pitch, tone) · ro grav (having a sense of seriousness) · fi vakava (having a sense of seriousness) · de respektgebietend (serious in a negative sense) · ca greu (serious in a negative sense) · pl poważny (having a sense of seriousness) · ru тяжёлый (serious in a negative sense) · mi mārū (low in pitch, tone) · es grave (low in pitch, tone) · zh 嚴重 /严重 (having a sense of seriousness) · zh 低音 (low in pitch, tone) · fr grave (having a sense of seriousness) · de gemessen (having a sense of seriousness) · tr vahim (having a sense of seriousness) · es serio (having a sense of seriousness) · fi vakava (serious in a negative sense) · pl poważny (serious in a negative sense) · zh 沉重 (having a sense of seriousness) · ota آغر (having a sense of seriousness) · tr ciddi (having a sense of seriousness) · es grave (serious in a negative sense) · tl malma (having a sense of seriousness) · sh ozbiljan (having a sense of seriousness) · ru ни́зкий (low in pitch, tone) · da dunkel (low in pitch, tone) · it grave (having a sense of seriousness) · ca seriós (having a sense of seriousness) · cs závažný (serious in a negative sense) · la sērius (having a sense of seriousness) · bg сериозен (having a sense of seriousness) · es solemne (having a sense of seriousness) · zh 嚴肅 /严肃 (having a sense of seriousness) · pdt schlemm (having a sense of seriousness) · tr ağırbaşlı (low in pitch, tone) · es apremiante (serious in a negative sense) · de gewichtig (having a sense of seriousness) · da alvorlig (having a sense of seriousness) · tr vahim (serious in a negative sense) · eo serioza (having a sense of seriousness) · es reservado (having a sense of seriousness) · it opprimente (serious in a negative sense) · fi matala (low in pitch, tone) · es bajo (low in pitch, tone) · el βαρύς (serious in a negative sense) · tr vakarlı (low in pitch, tone) · it solenne (having a sense of seriousness) · it grave (low in pitch, tone) · da frygtindgydende (serious in a negative sense) · es seco (having a sense of seriousness) · ja 厳粛 (having a sense of seriousness) · de dunkel (low in pitch, tone) · cs vážný (having a sense of seriousness) · bg сериозен (serious in a negative sense) · ru серьёзный (serious in a negative sense) · sh dubokoglasni (low in pitch, tone) · de gravitätisch (having a sense of seriousness)
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *gʷreh₂-
Proto-Indo-European *-us
Proto-Indo-European *gʷréh₂us
Proto-Italic *gʷraus
Latin gravis
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.
Proto-Italic *-ājō
Proto-Italic *-āō
Latin -ō
Medieval Latin gravō
Medieval Latin gravader.
Old French grave
Middle French gravebor.
English grave
From Middle French grave, a learned borrowing from Latin gravis (“heavy, important”). Compare Old French greve (“terrible, dreadful”). Doublet of grief.
Inherited from Middle English greyve. Doublet of graaf (borrowed from the Dutch cognate graaf (“count, earl”)) and graf (borrowed from the German cognate Graf (“count, earl”)).
Meanings
(historical) A count, prefect, or person holding office.
(obsolete, transitive) To clean, as a vessel's bottom, of barnacles, grass, etc., and pay it over with pitch — so called because graves or greaves were formerly used for this purpose.
At the origin of the metric system the new unit of weight was called the grave, and was equivalent to the kilogram. The denomination grave would in some respects have been preferable to kilogram. 1899, John Sturgeon Mackay, Arithmetic Theoretical and Practical, page 117: