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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

grubby en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ˈɡɹʊbi/ (Ireland, Northern-England)
  • /ˈɡɹʌbi/

Etymology

Etymology tree English grub Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English grubby From grub + -y.

Meanings

  1. Dirty, unwashed, unclean.
    • He's a grubby little boy, always playing around by the stream.
  2. (figuratively) Disreputable, sordid.
    • I have in mind, in particular, the claim that has echoed through the liberal side of coronavirus-era debates — that the key to sound leadership in a pandemic is just to follow the science, to trust science and scientists, to do what experts suggest instead of letting mere grubby politics determine your response. 2020 December 19, Ross Douthat, “When You Can’t Just ‘Trust the Science’”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
  3. Having grubs in it.
    • The United States Department of Agriculture states that grubs cost the livestock industry from $50,000,000 to $100,000,000 each year. The average devaluation on grubby cattle is from 25 cents to one dollar per cwt. 1944, National Live Stock Loss Prevention Board, Report, page 694:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
grubbiest Degree=Sup lexicographic
grubbier Degree=Cmp lexicographic

Deriveds

grubbiness · grubbily

Synonyms

seamy · dirtsome · dirty · sordid · unclean · horry · grimy · soiled · lousy · yucky · nasty · grotty · cruddy · manky · clarty · besmirched · icky · unwashed · befouled · sullied · squalid · foul · grubby

Translations (42)

es inmundo (dirty) · ru черви́вый (having grubs in it) · es sucio (dirty) · ru неря́шливый (dirty) · mk не́чист (dirty) · bg мърляв (dirty) · fr crasseux (dirty) · gl carrañento (dirty) · gl emporcallado (dirty) · kix tǖphēihphēih (dirty) · it sudicio (dirty) · fr véreux (having grubs in it) · bg оцапан (dirty) · gl cotrento (dirty) · fi sottainen (dirty) · es mugroso (dirty) · es mugriento (dirty) · de wurmstichig (having grubs in it) · de schmutzig (dirty) · pl umorusany (dirty) · ru гря́зный (dirty) · de madig (having grubs in it) · es agusanado (having grubs in it) · pl brudny (dirty) · pt encardido (dirty) · nl wormstekig (having grubs in it) · nrf malpropre (dirty) · fi likainen (dirty) · gl cotroso (dirty) · nl groezelig (dirty) · es pulgoso (having grubs in it) · gl cotrañento (dirty) · es simple y vulgar ((figurative) disreputable, sordid) · nl vuil (dirty) · gl goldrento (dirty) · et kasimatu (dirty) · nl smerig (dirty) · mk цр́влив (having grubs in it) · de schmuddelig (dirty) · gl lordenio (dirty) · bg червив (having grubs in it) · mk ва́лкан (dirty)

grubby en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (Southern-England) audio
  • /ˈɡɹʊbi/ (Ireland, Northern-England)
  • /ˈɡɹʌbi/

Etymology

Etymology tree English grub Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English grubby From grub + -y.

Meanings

  1. (US, dialectal) Any species of Cottus; a sculpin.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
grubbies Number=Plur lexicographic