Grovel



GRE 蓝宝 Barron

解释

GRE 红宝书

• v. 摇尾乞怜, 奴颜婢膝
• ［英］ v. 摇尾乞怜, 奴颜婢膝 ( to behave humbly or abjectly; stoop)
• ［类］ pluck : quit / pride : grovel ( 放弃不会有勇气 / 奴颜婢膝不会有傲气)
• ［例］ He said he would never grovel before a conqueror.

Webster Collegiate

intransitive verb (-eled or -elled; -eling or -elling)

• Etymology: back-formation from groveling prone, from groveling, adverb, from Middle English, from gruf, adverb, on the face (from Old Norse ā grūfu) + -ling
• Date: 1552
• 1. to creep with the face to the ground ; crawl
• 2.
  • a. to lie or creep with the body prostrate in token of subservience or abasement
  • b. to abase oneself
• 3. to give oneself over to what is base or unworthy ; wallow <groveling in self-pity>
• ? groveler noun
• ? grovelingly adverb

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