grub

¹grub

verb \ˈgrəb\

grubbedgrub·bing

Definition of GRUB

transitive verb

1

: to clear by digging up roots and stumps

2

: to dig up by or as if by the roots

intransitive verb

1

a : to dig in the ground especially for something that is difficult to find or extract b : to search about <grubbed in the countryside for food — Lamp>

2

: toil, drudge <grubbing along at newspaper jobs — Walter Kirn>

— grub·ber noun

Examples of GRUB

1. Everyone was grubbing for whatever food they could find.
2. students grubbing for better grades

Origin of GRUB

Middle English grubben; akin to Old English grafan to dig — more at grave

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to GRUB

Synonyms: bang away, beaver (away), dig (away), drudge, endeavor, fag, labor, hump, hustle, moil, peg (away), plod, plow, plug, slave, slog, strain, strive, struggle, sweat, toil, travail, tug, work

Related Words: apply (oneself), buckle (down), dig in, hammer (away), knuckle down, pitch in; attack, drive; essay, try; exercise, exert, overexert, overwork; eke out, grind (out), put out, scrabble, scratch; trudge, wade

Near Antonyms: break, ease (up), let up, slacken; bum, chill, dally, dillydally, footle, goldbrick, goof (off), hack (around), hang (around or out), idle, laze, loaf, lounge, shirk, slack (off), veg out; bask, loll, relax, repose, rest, unwind; dabble, doodle, fool around, fribble, goof (around), hang, hang about [British], mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle

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Rhymes with GRUB

bub, blub, chub, club, cub, drub, dub, flub, hub, nub, pub, rub, schlub, scrub, shrub, slub, snub, stub, sub, tub