grub en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English grubben, grobben, from Old English *grubbian, from Proto-West Germanic *grubb-, from Proto-Germanic *grubb- (compare Middle Dutch grobben (“to scrape, scramble, grab”), Old High German grubilōn (“to dig, search”), German grübeln (“to meditate, ponder”)), from Proto-Germanic *grub- (“to dig”) (see *grabaną). The noun sense of "larva" is from Middle English grub, grubbe, grobbe, crubbe and may derive from the notion of "digging insect" from the verb above, or from the uncertainly related Middle English grub (“dwarfish fellow”). Compare West Frisian krobbe (“beetle”). The slang sense of "food" is first recorded 1659, and has been linked with birds eating grubs or with bub (“drink”).
Meanings
- (countable) An insect, especially a beetle, at an immature stage of its life cycle.
-
(slang, uncountable) Food.
pub grub
"The rice ration's down to nearly damn-all in the kampongs, but we keep finding dumps of grub in the forest."
1958, Anthony Burgess, The Enemy in the Blanket (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 298:
- (Australia, countable, slang, uncountable) A dirty person.
- (Australia, countable, slang, uncountable) A despicable person; a lowlife.
-
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) A short, thick man; a dwarf.
John Romane, a short clownish grub, would bear the whole carcase of an ox, yet never tugged with him.
1609, Richard Carew, The Survey of Cornwall, London: […] S[imon] S[tafford] for Iohn Iaggard, […], →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| grubs | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| grob | UK, alternative, dialectal | lexicographic |
Deriveds
pub grub · cattle grub · grubby · bardee grub · grub hoe · curl grub · bardy grub · grub out · grubwork · grub screw · Tasmanian grass grub · bardi grub · grass grub · grub and bub · grub-stake · grublike · grubhouse · canegrub · grubble · grub up · witchety grub · grubless · grubworm · grubber · grubling · grubstake · grub-saw · grubbery
Relateds
worm · caterpillar · maggot
Synonyms
vittles · stodge · victuals · nourishment · sustenance · cuisine · meals · chow · provender · scran · belly-timber · eats · nosh · munchable · food · tiffin · tucker · viands · om nom nom · rations · comestibles · larva · eatables · nibbles · feed · tuck · kai · bait · foodstuffs · edibles · meat · provisions · nosebag · fodder · grub · aliment
Translations (96)
sh klopa (slang: food) · is matur (slang: food) · hu lárva (immature insect) · ja 幼虫 (immature insect) · uk личи́нка (immature insect) · fr larve (immature insect) · cmn 吃食 (slang: food) · bg кльопа́чка (slang: food) · ja めし (slang: food) · pt larva (immature insect) · es manducatoria (slang: food) · ca manduca (slang: food) · scn vermu (immature insect) · ru личи́нка (immature insect) · tr larva (immature insect) · mi torongū (immature insect) · hu kaja (slang: food) · cmn 嚼頭 /嚼头 (slang: food) · ru жратва́ (slang: food) · es manduca (slang: food) · ms tempayak (immature insect) · cmn 吃喝 (slang: food) · it larva (immature insect) · pt gororoba (slang: food) · he דֶּרֶן (immature insect) · de Futter (slang: food) · nl voer (slang: food) · cs bašta (slang: food) · pl żarcie (slang: food) · fi safka (slang: food) · bg личи́нка (immature insect) · fi sapuska (slang: food) · ro larvă (immature insect) · nl larf (immature insect) · is æti (slang: food) · cs ponrava (immature insect) · ru харчи́ (slang: food) · eo insektido (immature insect) · ota سوس (immature insect) · bg ла́рва (immature insect) · es condumio (slang: food) · de Mampf (slang: food) · cs dlabanec (slang: food) · is maðkur (immature insect) · hy թրթուր (immature insect) · ar يَرَقَة (immature insect) · hu pajor (immature insect) · sh клопа (slang: food) · scn càmula (immature insect) · uk харч (slang: food) · es papeo (slang: food) · nl vreten (slang: food) · cy sgram (slang: food) · mk хра́на (slang: food) · is lirfa (immature insect) · et tõuk (immature insect) · he מזון (slang: food) · sv larv (immature insect) · de Larve (immature insect) · vi ấu trùng (immature insect) · mi tuiau (immature insect) · cho yʋla (immature insect) · el μάσα (slang: food) · tr yemek (slang: food) · ms lundi (immature insect) · fi toukka (immature insect) · fi sörsseli (slang: food) · es morfe (slang: food) · ja 食い物 (slang: food) · fr bouffe (slang: food) · el κάμπια (immature insect) · be харчы́ (slang: food) · it bruco (immature insect) · it sbobba (slang: food) · es larva (immature insect) · nl larve (immature insect) · no matbit (slang: food) · pl robak (immature insect) · no matbete (slang: food) · be лічы́нка (immature insect) · th ตัวอ่อน (immature insect) · ko 유충 (immature insect) · sv käk (slang: food) · tr kurtçuk (immature insect) · la terēdō (immature insect) · ota قورت (immature insect) · es verme (immature insect) · es morfi (slang: food) · ru ха́вчик (slang: food) · cmn 幼蟲 /幼虫 (immature insect) · de Wurm (immature insect) · de Fressalien (slang: food) · ja 食べ物 (slang: food) · be харч (slang: food) · scn cagnolu (immature insect) · ru харч (slang: food)