grave

¹grave

transitive verb \ˈgrāv\

gravedgrav·en \ˈgrā-vən\ or gravedgrav·ing

Definition of GRAVE

1

archaic : dig, excavate

2

a : to carve or shape with a chisel : sculpture

b : to carve or cut (as letters or figures) into a hard surface : engrave

3

: to impress or fix (as a thought) deeply

Origin of GRAVE

Middle English, from Old English grafan; akin to Old High German graban to dig, Old Church Slavic pogreti to bury

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with GRAVE

brave, cave, clave, crave, fave, glaive, knave, lave, nave, pave, rave, save, shave, slave, stave, waive, wave, Wave

²grave

noun

Definition of GRAVE

1

: an excavation for burial of a body; broadly : a burial place

2

a : death 1a

b : death 4

Origin of GRAVE

Middle English, from Old English græf; akin to Old High German grab grave, Old English grafan to dig

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with GRAVE

ave

³grave

transitive verb

gravedgrav·ing

Definition of GRAVE

: to clean and pay with pitch <grave a ship's bottom>

Origin of GRAVE

Middle English graven

First Known Use: 15th century

⁴grave

adjective \ˈgrāv, in sense 5 often ˈgräv\

grav·ergrav·est

Definition of GRAVE

1

a obsolete : authoritative, weighty

b : meriting serious consideration : important <grave problems>

c : likely to produce great harm or danger <a grave mistake>

d : significantly serious : considerable, great <grave importance>

2

: having a serious and dignified quality or demeanor <a grave and thoughtful look>

3

: drab in color : somber

4

: low-pitched in sound

5

a of an accent mark : having the form `

b : marked with a grave accent

c : of the variety indicated by a grave accent

— grave·ly adverb

— grave·ness noun

Examples of GRAVE

1. This violation of school rules is a grave matter.
2. His carelessness could have grave consequences.
3. They have placed themselves in grave danger.
4. I have grave doubts about this plan.
5. suffering from a grave illness
6. The judge issued his ruling with a grave expression.
7. The French word père is written with a grave accent over the first e.

Origin of GRAVE

Middle French, from Latin gravis heavy, grave — more at grieve

First Known Use: 1539

⁵grave

noun \ˈgrāv, ˈgräv\

Definition of GRAVE

: a grave accent ` used to show that a vowel is pronounced with a fall of pitch (as in ancient Greek), that a vowel has a certain quality (as è in French), that a final e is stressed and close and that a final o is stressed and low (as in Italian), that a syllable has a degree of stress between maximum and minimum (as in phonetic transcription), or that the e of the English ending -ed is to be pronounced (as in “this cursèd day”)

First Known Use of GRAVE

1609

⁶gra·ve

adverb or adjective \ˈgrä-(ˌ)vā\

Definition of GRAVE

: slowly and solemnly —used as a direction in music

Origin of GRAVE

Italian, literally, grave, from Latin gravis

First Known Use: 1683

grave

adjective \ˈgrāv\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of GRAVE

: very serious : dangerous to life—used of an illness or its prospects <a grave prognosis>