grief--prophetes.ai

▪ I. grief, n.
    (griːf)
    Pl. griefs. Forms: 3–5 gref, 4–6 greffe, grefe, greve, 4–7 greef(e, (5 greyf, griff(e, 5–6 gryef(f, 6 greiff, 6–7 greif(e), (8 greaf), 5–7 griefe, 5– grief. Also pl. 4–6 greves, (5 -ys), 5–7 greeves, 6–7 greives, grieves.
    [a. OF. grief, gref masc., vbl. n. f. grever to grieve. The form with v in the sing. may be from OF. grieve, greve fem., of the same etymology.]
    † 1. Hardship, suffering; a kind, or cause, of hardship or suffering. Obs.

a 1225 Ancr. R. 392 Ne muhte he mid lesse gref habben ared us? a 1300 Cursor M. 17228 Iesu..wit mi flexsli lust to fill forget i oft þine greues grill. 1382 Wyclif 1 Esdr. ii. 29 To kingis greeues ben born in. c 1386 Chaucer Shipman's T. 127 Tel me of youre grief Parauenture I yow may in youre meschief Conseille or helpe. 1435 Misyn Fire of Love i. ix. 17 Þe pore in body with hongyr, þirst, cald & nakydnes & oþer greuys of þis warld is noyed. c 1440 Bone Flor. 1245 Syr, ye muste wende home wyth me..Hyt schall turne yow to no grefe. a 1450 Fysshynge w. Angle (1883) 2 Suche grevys & meny oþer the hunter hapeth. c 1550 Disc. Common Weal Eng. (1893) 2 That gentlemen feele moste greef by this derthe. 1575 Gamm. Gurton v. i, If it be counted his fault, besides all his greeues When a poore man is spoyled, and beaten among theeues Then I confess my fault herein. 1616 W. Haig Let. in J. Russell Haigs vii. (1881) 156 Pardon a poor man much distracted with the grief of this place [the tolbooth]. 1722 De Foe Plague (1756) 182 Want of Breath, Fear, Anger, Vexation, and all the other Griefs attending such an injurious Treatment.

† 2. a. Hurt, harm, mischief or injury done or caused by another; damaged inflicted or suffered; molestation, trouble, offence. Obs.

c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 91 Neuer bifor in Wales was don so grete greue. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 50 Whan þei sien the seg wiþ so manye ryde, Þei were agrisen of his grym, and wende gref tholie. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 324 His moder wiste well she might Do Tereus no more greve Than slee his child. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xii. 53 Cryst saue vs ffrom alle myschefys..ffrom those mens grefys That oft ar agans vs. 1475 Bk. Noblesse 7 To be venged for dammage or griefe done by another. 1513 Douglas æneis xiii. i. 25 To implor forgifnes of all greiff. 1584 D. Powel Lloyd's Cambria 354 These be the greefes done by the Englishmen.

† b. A wrong or injury which is the subject of formal complaint or demand for redress; = grievance 1 b. Also, a document containing a formal statement of the grievance. Obs.
In quot. 1839 prob. a mere Gallicism.

c 1420 Lydg. Assembly Gods 47 That Diana and Neptunus myght haue audience To declare her greefe of the gret offence To theym done by Eolus, whereon they compleynyd. 1472 Presentm. Juries in Surtees Misc. (1888) 22 Thes are þ⊇ grefis þ{supt} xij men fendes defectyffe. 1502 Arnolde Chron. (1811) p. xvii, The answere by my Lorde of Wynchestere vnto y⊇ greffe of my Lorde off Glocetyre. 1538 in Vicary's Anat. (1888) App. iii. iii. 159 It ys agreed that the Wardeyns..shalbe here vpon tuysday next commyng, & there shewe theyre gryeff. 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, iv. iii. 42 The King hath sent to know The nature of your Griefes. 1605 Nottingham Rec. IV. 274 A meetinge shalbe had here that the Burgesses may then prefer theyr greifes. a 1651 Calderwood Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.) III. 725 The greeves which Secretary Walsingham presented to the King. [1839 Times 30 Mar. in Spirit Metrop. Conserv. Press (1840) I. 126 For the settlement of more solid and lasting griefs between the nations, measures of corresponding magnitude and decision must be reasonably executed.]

† 3. Gravity, grievousness (of an offence). Obs.

1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. ccxxx. 262 Some of the foresayde prysoners he put to deth, and some he dishereted, after y⊇ grefe of theyr offense.

† 4. a. Feeling of offence; displeasure, anger. Obs.

a 1300 Cursor M. 8405 (Cott.) Þof salamon mi sun be yong He es wis and o redi tung, þat neuer serued grefe ne grame. c 1340 Ibid. 7663 (Trin.) And efte þe fend ful of greef Trauailed þe kyng to mischeef. c 1400 Destr. Troy 6440 For all the grefe of þo grekes, & þe grete þronge, Was no led might hym let, þof hom lothe were. 1513 Douglas æneis i. i. 18 Is thair sic grief in hevinlie myndis hie? 1535 Bp. Shaxton Let. to Cromwell in Strype Eccl. Mem. I. App. lxi. 149 Yet perceive I right manifestly your grief towards me. c 1570 Durham Depos. (Surtees) 245 He spoke not thois wordes in any greiff, but rather in boorde. c 1573 Ibid. 261 Hard the said Rauffe caule the said Rosse slave in greiff.

† b. Phrases. to take in (on, to) grief: to take offence at: see also agrief. to take grief with (a person): to be displeased with. without grief: without being offended or annoyed; without grudging. Obs.

c 1300, etc. [see agrief]. c 1325 Deo Gratias 35 in E.E.P. (1862) 125, I prey þe take hit nouht in greue. c 1340 Cursor M. 10967 (Laud) Zakarie seid with-outyn greve Thise tydyngges may I not leve. c 1400 Gamelyn 313 And seide ȝe be welcome with-out any greue. c 1420 Sir Amadace xxx, Gode Sirs, take noȝte on greue, For ȝe most noue take ȝour leue. c 1430 Syr Tryam. 119 That ys me wondur lefe, Wherefore taketh hyt to no grefe. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. xiii. 36–43 Jesus without any griefe [L. nihil gravatus] declared it playnely. a 1553 ― Royster D. v. iv. (Arb.) 82, I beseech you, take with me no greefe: I did a true man's part, not wishyng your repreefe.

† 5. a. A bodily injury or ailment; a morbid affection of any part of the body; a sore, wound; a blemish of the skin; a disease, sickness. Obs.

1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. lxiv. (1495) 182 Somtyme the greyffes of the skynne come of a cause that is wythin. 1481 Caxton Myrr. iii. x. 153 Nature may not suffre..the sodeyn agrauacions ne griefs, of whiche by theyr folyes they trauaylle nature. 1542 Boorde Dyetary xxxii. (1870) 295 For suche thynges causyth the grefe [epilepsy] to come the ofter. c 1550 Lloyd Treas. Health (1585) F viij, To put away the wrinkles out of the face and all other greefe. 1562 Turner Baths Pref., In the tyme of bathinge in certayne men certayn grefes and diseases aryse. 1567 Harman Caveat (1879) 55 Fayre skynned withoute anye spot or greffe. 1579 Lyte Dodoens i. lxx. 104 The seede..is good to be straked or applied unto hoate griefes of the joynts. 1606 L. Bryskett Civ. Life 5 Rather to preuent sicknesse, then for any present griefe, I had..begunne a course to take some physicke. 1691 Wood Ath. Oxon. I. 392 Cancerous Vlcers also seise on this part (the Lipp) &c. This grief hastned the end of..Mr. Harriot. 1706 Lond. Gaz. No. 4209/4 Off Leg Joint above the Fetter-lock large, hard swell'd, old Grief. 1727 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Foul, A Swelling and Grief like unto this, breeding between the Clees of the Cattle.

transf. 1570 Dee Math. Pref. 23 Theophrastus affirmed, that, by Musike, griefes and diseases of the Minde..might be cured.

† b. The seat of disease; the diseased part; the sore place. Obs.

1577 Frampton Joyful News ii. (1596) 36 The Leaues of this Tabaco being laid hotte vpon the griefe..taketh away the paines therof. 1610 Markham Masterp. ii. cxxxi. 434 Mixe these with vinegar, and apply it to the griefe. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia ii. 34 For swellings..they vse small peeces of touchwood..which pricking on the griefe they burne close to the flesh.

† 6. Physical pain or discomfort. Obs.

1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 81 Clawe he his backe that feeleth itche of greue. 1544 T. Phaer Regim. Life (1553) F vij b, The griefe, which the pacient feleth in his backe. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. iii. 184 Mair throuch sturt and dolour of mynd, than throuch greife of his woundes. 1608–33 Bp. Hall Medit. (1851) 99 The tenderness of the part adds much to the grief. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. i. iii. ii. ii, Hardnes and grief in the left Hypocondry.

7. a. Mental pain, distress, or sorrow. In mod. use in a more limited sense: Deep or violent sorrow, caused by loss or trouble; a keen or bitter feeling of regret for something lost, remorse for something done, or sorrow for mishap to oneself or others.

13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 86 The adubbemente of þo downez dere Garten my goste al greffe for-ȝete. c 1350 Will. Palerne 2473 So glad was he þanne, þat na gref vnder god gayned to his ioye. c 1400 Destr. Troy 13957 Vlixes..With gronyng and greue gert hym to stynt. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iv. xx. 66 How may myn eyen..Restreyne them for to shewen by wepyng Myn hertes greef. 1554 Coverdale Hope Faithf. xxxi. (1574) 221 Tediousnesse and grefe runneth customably with saturation or fulnesse. 1568 H. B. tr. P. Martyr's Comm. Rom. ix. 237 b, Griefe (as sayth Cicero..) is a dissease which vexeth the mind, and it is taken by reason of the euill which semeth to be already at hand, and to be present. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. v. iii. 211 Griefe of my Sonnes exile hath stopt her breath. 1612 Chapman Widdowes T. Plays 1873 III. 54 Then Grieues that sound so lowd, proue alwaies light. 1632 Lithgow Trav. v. 198 Before my arrivall in Aleppo, the Caravan..was from thence departed, which bred no small griefe in my breast. 1657 Austen Fruit Trees i. 5 He confesseth it with much greife. 1716 Addison Drummer ii. i, There is a real grief and there is a methodical grief. 1756 Burke Subl. & B. i. v, If the object of pleasure be..totally lost..a passion arises in the mind, which is called grief. 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Quality (1809) II. 112 Mrs. Tirrel..was plentifully pouring forth her tears..for grief of having found him in that condition. 1817 Byron Manfred i. i. 9 Grief should be the instructor of the wise. 1821 J. Baillie Basil v. iii, Woman's grief is like a summer storm, Short as it violent is. 1883 Ouida Wanda I. 36 Their father died of grief for his eldest son. 1888 F. Hume Mad. Midas i. i, He did not show much outward grief.

personified. 1822 B. Cornwall Flood of Thessaly ii. 281 Joy is slow believed, where grief hath lived Long a familiar.

b. A cause or subject of grief.

1535 Coverdale Prov. xvii. 25 An vndiscrete sonne is a grefe [so 1611] vnto his father. 1770 Goldsm. Des. Vill. 57 A time there was, ere England's griefs began. 1886 Ruskin Præterita I. v. 167 As fate would have it, they had the one grief of having no children.

8. a. Phr. to come to grief: to meet with disaster; (Sporting) to have a fall; to fail, prove abortive. So to bring to grief. Chiefly colloq.; somewhat rare in dignified use. Also good (or great) grief!, an exclamation indicating surprise, alarm, etc.

1850 Thackeray Pendennis II. xxxvii. 364, I knew that your father had come to—to grief. You don't think it was—it was for your connexion I married you? 1854 ― Newcomes I. x. 107 We drove on to the Downs, and we were nearly coming to grief. 1857 Kingsley Two Y. Ago xxi, As for coming to grief,..we're on a good errand..and the devil himself can't harm us. 1862 T. Shorter in Weldon's Reg. Aug. 4 A People's College..was founded at Nottingham, but speedily came to grief. 1873 Punch 25 Jan. 41/1 The third Empire..brought France to grief. 1883 Black Shandon Bells xxvii, He pointed out where the coal-smack had come to grief. 1885 J. Martineau Types Eth. Theory I. 139 His logic came to grief. 1900 in Eng. Dial. Dict., Good grief. 1924 Dialect Notes V. 268 Great grief. 1937 R. Chandler Killer in Rain (1964) 227 ‘Good grief,’ De Spain said. ‘He's up there right now.’ 1957 ‘N. Culotta’ They're Weird Mob (1958) 180 ‘Do I ask your father for his daughter's hand?’ ‘Good grief no.’ 1959 ‘A. Gilbert’ Death takes Wife xvii. 226 ‘Wonder if he expected this?’ said the policeman grimly. And he called Crook at his home address. ‘Good grief!’ said Crook, when he heard. 1959 N. Marsh False Scent (1960) iv. 100 Great grief, I'd forgotten that gang!

b. Sporting. Accidents in steeplechasing or in the hunting-field. Also in Golf (see quot. 1897).

1891 Sportsman 28 Feb. (Farmer), The flag had scarcely fallen than the grief commenced. 1897 Encycl. Sport I. 472 Grief, when a player has played his ball into a hazard of any description he is said to be in grief. 1898 St. James's Gaz. 15 Nov. 6/1 [A pace sufficient] to test the condition of horses and their riders and to bring about a considerable amount of grief.

9. attrib. and Comb. a. simple attrib., as grief-drop. b. objective, as grief-drinking adj. c. instrumental, as grief-bowed, grief-distraught, grief-dulled, grief-exhausted, grief-harmonized, grief-inspired, grief-oppressed, grief-rent, grief-ridden, grief-shot, grief-stricken, grief-worn adjs. Also grief-muscles, a name given by Darwin to certain muscles concerned in the facial expression of grief; grief therapy (see quot.).

1839 M. Howitt Marier's Pilgr. xi. iii. 2 *Grief-bowed and labour-spent.

1844 Mrs. Browning Duchess May lxiv, He in sooth is *grief-distraught.

? c 1600 Distracted Emp. ii. i. in Bullen O. Pl. III. 203 Charactred on everye syde Of the *griefe drinkinge paper.

1838 Eliza Cook World vii. 1 Though the eye may be dimmed with its *grief-drop awhile.

a 1603 F. Davison in Farr S.P. Eliz. (1845) II. 319 My *grief-dull'd heart.

1768 C. Shaw Address Nightingale vi. 87 Till welcome death..Shall kindly stop my *grief-exhausted breath.

1827 Hood Hero & Leander lxix, Though heretofore I have but set my voice To some long sighs, *grief-harmonized.

1764 Oxford Sausage 77 The *grief-inspired Muse.

1872 Darwin Emotions vii. 185 Cases of Hypochondria, in which the *grief-muscles were persistently contracted.

1824 T. Fenby Four Temperaments iv. i, *Grief-oppressed, unhappy man.

1647 Herrick Hesperides (1869) 419 To show a heart *grief-rent.

1891 Swinburne Poems (1904) II. 47 In that heart⁓stricken *grief-ridden time.

1607 Shakes. Cor. v. i. 45 As a discontented Friend, *greefe-shot With his vnkindnesse.

1905 Daily Chron. 14 Aug. 5/5 The husband was sent for, but he was so *grief-stricken that he had to be removed. 1965 J. Pollitt Depression & its Treatment ii. 22 Similarly, in human affairs, bereavement occurring during a depressive illness is not followed by the normal process of forgetting, the patient remaining grief-stricken.

1963 J. Mitford Amer. Way Death ii. 58 ‘*Grief therapy’ is..commonly used by funeral men to describe the mental and emotional solace which, they claim, is achieved for the bereaved family as a result of being able to ‘view’ the embalmed and restored deceased.

1859 K. Cornwallis New World I. 202 He looked *grief-worn.

Add: [8.] c. colloq. (orig. U.S.). Trouble, unpleasantness, ‘hassle’; unstinting criticism or disparagement. Freq. in phr. to give (make, have, etc.) grief.

1891 Sportsman 28 Feb. in P. Beale Partridge's Dict. Slang (1984) 503/1 The flag had scarcely fallen than [sic] the grief commenced. 1929 D. Hammett Dain Curse xii. 121 ‘You could have got me in on it,’ he had complained before our soup was in front of us... ‘I had’, I said, ‘enough grief with the one guy I did let in on it—Eric Collinson.’ 1940 R. Chandler Farewell, my Lovely xviii. 141 There's not much money in it. There's a lot of grief. But there's a lot of fun too. 1974 A. Lurie War between Tates (1977) viii. 160, I thought how I was making all this grief for you and Danielle, and what I ought to do is..take the next bus to New York. 1986 C. Hope Hottentot Room xiv. 203 Say you'll come home, Caleb. It will save a lot of grief. 1989 Face Jan. 66/2 Mann has had grief from snobby film critics and from the censorship lobby. 1990 D. Peterson Dress Gray i. 10 One female several doors down kept her curling iron. She got caught trying to use it one weekend and really took some grief from the cadre.

▪ II. † grief, a. and adv. Obs.
    Forms: 3 greif, 4 grefe, greue, greeffe.
    [a. OF. gref:—L. gravis (also grief:—L. *grevis, later form of gravis, influenced by levis light) heavy, grave.]
    A. adj. Grievous, grave; troublesome, oppressive; (of armour) ? formidable.

a 1300 Cursor M. 27986 Þis sin..it es sua greif and god wit gan þat..it files þar it es don or said. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 10262 Here synne ys grefe þat bryngeþ a trew man on a þefe. c 1330 ― Chron. (1810) 138 If it so be, of Scotlond skape a thefe, & till Inglond fle, als a felon grefe. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 166 For it is an unwise vengeaunce, Which to none other man is lefe, And is unto him selve grefe. c 1440 Gaw. & Gol. 1262 Lordis laught thair lancis..And graithit thame to the gait, in thair greif geir. 1520 Caxton's Chron. Eng. iii. 21 b/1 Whiche worke he ended in 2 yere and 4 monethes and that with greve impedymentes.

B. adv. Grievously, excessively.

c 1400 Destr. Troy 3044 Hir nose..was nobly shapyn,.. Noght growen to grete ne to grefe smalle. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxiv. 112 He fell greeffe seke [F. il cheust en maladie] and feled wele þat he myght noȝt couer of þat sekeness.