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Definitions for Grovel

[1] to humble oneself or act in an abject manner, as in great fear or utter servility.
[2] to lie or crawl with the face downward and the body prostrate, especially in abject humility, fear, etc.
[3] to take pleasure in mean or base things.
[4] to humble or abase oneself, as in making apologies or showing respect
[5] to lie or crawl face downwards, as in fear or humility
[6] (often foll by in) to indulge or take pleasure (in sensuality or vice)

Words related to Grovel

fawn, beseech, kowtow, pamper, flatter, creep, humor, stoop, implore, blandish, kneel, wheedle, crouch, snivel, court, crawl, truckle, cower, beg, bootlick

Words nearby Grovel

groutlock brick, grouts, grouty, grove, grove city, grovel, grover, groves, grovet, grow, grow bag

Origin of Grovel

1585–95; back formation from obsolete groveling (adv.), equivalent to obsolete grufe face down (< Old Norse ā grūfu face down) + -ling2, taken to be present participle

Words that may be confused with Grovel

gavel, gravel, grovel

Other words from Grovel

grov·el·er ; especially British , grov·el·ler , noun
grov·el·ing·ly ; especially British , grov·el·ling·ly , adverb
un·grov·el·ing , adjective
un·grov·el·ling , adjective

Word origin for Grovel

C16: back formation from obsolete groveling (adv), from Middle English on grufe on the face, of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse ā grūfu, from grūfa prone position; see -ling ²

Synonyms for Grovel

beseech, fawn, beg, blandish, bootlick, brown-nose, court, cower, crawl, creep, cringe, crouch, flatter, humor, implore, kneel, kowtow, pamper, prostrate, revere, snivel, soft-soap, stoop, truckle, wheedle, apple-polish, beg for mercy, bow and scrape, butter up, cater to, eat crow, eat dirt, eat humble pie, fall all over, humble oneself, kiss one's feet, make much of, make up to, play up to, suck up to, yes