English dictionary — definitions & meanings

gratefully

adv

In a way that shows thanks or appreciation.

gratefulness

noun

The state of being grateful.

grater

noun

A kitchen tool with a rough, sharp-edged surface used to shred food such as cheese or vegetables into small pieces.

gratification

noun

A feeling of pleasure or satisfaction, especially from getting what one wants.

gratify

verb

To make content; to satisfy.

gratifying

adj

Giving a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction.

gratin

noun

A dish topped with a browned crust of breadcrumbs or cheese, typically baked or grilled.

grating

adj

Harsh or unpleasant, especially describing a sound or voice.

gratingly

adv

With a grating sound.

gratis

adj

Given without charge; free.

gratitude

noun

A feeling of thankfulness and appreciation.

gratuitous

adj

Done without any good reason, especially excessive or unnecessary (often used of violence or offense).

gratuity

noun

A sum of money given to a member of staff for good service, especially in a restaurant or hotel; a tip.

graupel

noun

A precipitation that forms when supercooled droplets of water condense on a snowflake.

gravamen

noun

A grievance complained of.

grave

noun

A hole dug in the ground to bury a dead body.

gravedigger

noun

A person whose job is to dig graves for burials.

gravel

noun

Small loose stones and pebbles, often used to surface roads, paths, or driveways.

gravely

adv

In a very serious or solemn manner.

graveness

noun

The state of being grave; gravity

graver

noun

a carver, sculptor, or engraver

graverobber

noun

One who robs graves or tombs in order to sell the contents for profit.

Graves

name

A wine-producing region near Bordeaux, France, and its dry white wine; also an English surname.

gravestone

noun

A stone marker placed at the head of a grave, usually carved with the name and dates of the deceased.

graveyard

noun

An area of ground, often next to a church, where the dead are buried.

graveyard shift

noun

A work shift running through the middle of the night, typically from around midnight until early morning.

gravitas

noun

A serious and dignified manner that commands respect.

gravitate

verb

To move under the force of gravity.

gravitation

noun

The natural force that pulls objects with mass toward each other, such as the pull that keeps planets in orbit.

gravitational

adj

Relating to gravity or the force of gravitation.

gravitative

adj

Causing to gravitate; tending to a centre.

graviton

noun

A theoretical particle that physicists believe would carry the force of gravity, though it has never been directly observed.

gravity

noun

The force that pulls objects toward the center of the earth, or more generally, that pulls masses toward each other.

gravy

noun

A sauce made from the juices and fat that come from cooking meat, often thickened and served over food.

gray

adj

Having a color between black and white, like the color of clouds or ash.

Grayer

name

A surname.

graymail

noun

The threatened exposure of state secrets in order to manipulate legal proceedings.

Grays

name

A town in Essex, England, on the north bank of the River Thames, also known as Grays Thurrock.

graze

verb

To eat growing grass, or to let animals feed on pasture.

grazer

noun

One who or that which grazes, in any sense.

grazing

noun

The activity of animals feeding on grass in a field or open land.

grease

noun

Melted or soft animal fat, or any thick oily substance used for lubrication.

greaser

noun

Someone whose job involves applying grease, such as a mechanic.

greasing

noun

The act of applying grease to something.

greasy

adj

Covered in or containing a lot of grease or fat.

great

adj

Very large in size, extent, or degree.

greaten

verb

To become great or large; increase; dilate.

greater

adj

Larger in size, amount, or importance than something else being compared.

greathearted

adj

Nobly courageous, bighearted.

greatly

adv

To a large extent or degree; very much.

greatness

noun

The quality of being great, distinguished, or exceptional.

Greats

name

A traditional undergraduate course at Oxford University devoted to classical literature, philosophy, and ancient history, formally called Literae Humaniores.

greave

noun

A bush; a tree; a grove.

greaves

noun

The solid bits of fat left behind after animal fat has been rendered down.

Grecian

adj

Relating to Greece or ancient Greek style, especially in art and architecture.

Greece

name

A country in southeastern Europe, official name the Hellenic Republic, with Athens as its capital.

greed

noun

An excessive desire for more than one needs, especially money, food, or possessions.

greedy

adj

Wanting or taking more than one needs, especially money, food, or power.

greedyguts

noun

An excessive eater, glutton, gourmand.

Greek

adj

Relating to Greece, its people, language, or culture.

Greeks

noun

(finance) A set of measures showing how sensitive an option's price is to different market factors, each traditionally named after a Greek letter.

greektown

noun

A district of a city or town (in a country other than Greece) in which there is a large concentration of Greeks or people of Greek ancestry.

Greeley

name

A city in Colorado, USA, the county seat of Weld County.

Greely

name

A surname.

green

adj

Having the colour of growing grass or leaves.

green screen

noun

A green backdrop used in film, television and photography that lets editors digitally remove the background and replace it with different footage or an image, using a technique called chroma key.

greenback

noun

Any bill that is legal tender in the US (originally printed with green and black ink) issued by the Federal Reserve.

Greenberg

name

A surname of German Jewish origin.

greenbrier

noun

Any of several American prickly woody vines of the genus Smilax.

Greendale

name

A common place name for small towns and villages in the United States and Australia.

Greene

name

A surname, a variant of Green, also used as a place name in several U.S. states.

Greener

name

A surname.

greenery

noun

Green plants, foliage, or vegetation.

greenfield

noun

Land that has not previously been developed, often considered for new building projects.

greenfly

noun

Any of several kinds of common insects green in color:

greengage

noun

A plum cultivar with greenish-yellow flesh and skin, Prunus domestica subsp. italica var. claudiana.

greengrocer

noun

A shopkeeper who sells fresh fruit and vegetables.

greenhorn

noun

A person who is new to a job, activity, or situation and lacks experience.

greenhouse

noun

A glass or plastic-covered building used to grow plants by trapping heat and sunlight.

greenie

noun

An environmentalist, someone who shows concern for the environment; often aimed at environmental extremists.

greening

noun

The process of becoming green.

Greenland

name

A large, largely ice-covered self-governing territory of Denmark, located in North America.

Greenleaf

name

A surname, and the name of several small places in the United States.

greenmail

noun

The profiting from an attempted hostile takeover by forcing the target company to buy back the hostile bidder's shares at an inflated price.

greenness

noun

The state or quality of being green; green colour.

Greenpeace

name

An international environmental organisation known for direct-action campaigns.

greens

noun

Leafy green vegetables eaten as food.

greenscreen

noun

The alternate version of bluescreen, having the background green instead of blue.

Greenspan

name

A surname, notably borne by economist Alan Greenspan.

greensward

noun

A tract of land that is green with grass.

greenway

noun

A strip of protected open land, often used for walking or cycling paths, set aside from development.

Greenwich

name

A town and borough in south-east London, England, through which the prime meridian passes.

greenwood

noun

A forest that is thick with green, leafy trees, especially in summer.

Greer

name

A Scottish surname derived from Gregory, also used as a unisex given name and as a place name in several U.S. states.

greet

verb

To welcome someone in a friendly way, in person or otherwise.

greeting

noun

A word or phrase used to acknowledge someone's arrival, or to open a letter, message, or conversation.

greetings

intj

Used as a friendly or formal way of saying hello.

greets

verb

Third-person singular of greet: says hello to, or welcomes someone.

Greg

name

A diminutive of the masculine given names Gregory or Gregor.

gregarious

adjective

Fond of company and naturally sociable, enjoying being among other people.

Gregg

name

A surname and given name derived from Gregory, also used as a place name in several U.S. states.

Gregoire

name

A French surname and given name.

Gregor

name

A masculine given name, the Scottish form of Gregory.

Gregorian

adj

Relating to the calendar system introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, now the standard civil calendar in most of the world.

Gregorio

name

An Italian surname, a doublet of Gregory.

Gregory

name

A male given name from Ancient Greek.

Gregson

name

A surname originating as a patronymic meaning "son of Greg."

gremlin

noun

A mischievous imaginary creature blamed for mechanical faults or malfunctions, especially in machinery or aircraft.

Grenada

name

An island country in the Caribbean, also the name of small towns in California and Mississippi.

grenade

noun

A small explosive device, thrown by hand or fired from a launcher, designed to burst apart on impact or after a timed fuse.

grenadine

noun

A cordial syrup made from pomegranates.

Grendel

name

A monster slain by the hero Beowulf in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem "Beowulf"; also used as a masculine given name.

Grenoble

name

A city in the French Alps, in the Isère department.

Gresham

name

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "grass homestead," also the name of towns in England, the United States, and elsewhere.

Greta

name

A feminine given name derived from Margaret; also the name of several rivers in England, and towns in Australia named after them.

Gretchen

name

A feminine given name of German origin, a pet form of Margaret; also the heroine of Goethe's play "Faust."

Gretel

name

A feminine given name of German origin, a diminutive of Margarete, best known as one of the title characters in the German fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel."

Gretzky

name

A Belarusian surname, most famously borne by ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky.

Grew

verb

Past tense of "grow": became bigger, older, or more developed over time.

grey

adj

The color between black and white, as of storm clouds or ash; the standard British/Commonwealth spelling of "gray."

greybeard

noun

Any of the members of a group who have been there the longest, often implying experience.

greyhound

noun

A slender, long-legged breed of dog bred for speed, used in hunting and racing.

greyness

noun

The quality or state of being grey.

greys

noun

Grey uniform clothing — trousers or jackets — worn by prisoners, typically for more formal occasions than everyday prison dress.

gribble

noun

A small marine crustacean that bores into submerged wood, damaging piers, boats, and other wooden structures.

grice

noun

A pig, especially a young pig, or its meat; sometimes specifically, a breed of pig or boar native to north Britain, now extinct.

grid

noun

A pattern of evenly spaced lines crossing to form squares, such as on graph paper or a map.

griddle

noun

A flat metal surface used for cooking food like pancakes, eggs, or burgers.

gride

verb

To pierce (something) with a weapon; to wound, to stab.

gridiron

noun

An instrument of torture on which people were secured before being burned by fire.

gridlock

noun

A traffic jam so severe that vehicles cannot move in any direction; also used for a complete standstill in progress or negotiations.

grief

noun

Deep sorrow, especially caused by loss or bereavement.

griefful

adj

Expressing or full of grief; painful.

Grier

name

A surname, also used as a masculine given name.

grievance

noun

A formal complaint, especially about unfair treatment at work.

grieve

verb

To feel deep sorrow, especially after a loss.

grieved

adj

Deeply saddened or distressed.

grieven

verb

To make or become grievous or grief-stricken; to fill or be filled with grief

Grieves

verb

Third-person singular of "grieve": feels deep sorrow or causes distress.

grieving

adj

Feeling or showing deep sorrow, especially after a death.

grievous

adj

Very serious or severe, especially describing harm, pain, or wrongdoing.

Griff

noun

A firm hold or grasp on something.

griffin

noun

A legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.

Griffith

name

A masculine given name and surname of Welsh origin, originating as a patronymic; also the name of towns in Australia and the United States.

Griffiths

name

A Welsh surname, a variant of Griffith.

griffon

noun

A breed of dog usually called the Brussels griffon, reminiscent of the mythical creature.

grift

noun

A scheme for swindling people out of money, usually through trickery rather than force.

grifter

noun

A con artist who makes a living by scamming or manipulating people.

Griggs

name

A surname.

Grigory

name

A Russian masculine given name, equivalent to Gregory.