grub
noun
- insect larva
verb
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L16868 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ɡɹʌb/ / /ɡɹʊb/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English grubben, grobben, from Old English *grubbian, from Proto-West Germanic *grubb-, from Proto-Germanic *grubb- (compare Middle Dutch grobben (“to scrape, scramble, grab”), Old High German grubilōn (“to dig, search”), German grübeln (“to meditate, ponder”)), from Proto-Germanic *grub- (“to dig”) (see *grabaną). The noun sense of "larva" is from Middle English grub, grubbe, grobbe, crubbe and may derive from the notion of "digging insect" from the verb above, or from the uncertainly related Middle English grub (“dwarfish fellow”). Compare West Frisian krobbe (“beetle”). The slang sense of "food" is first recorded 1659, and has been linked with birds eating grubs or with bub (“drink”).
- An insect, especially a beetle, at an immature stage of its life cycle.
- Food.
“pub grub”
“"The rice ration's down to nearly damn-all in the kampongs, but we keep finding dumps of grub in the forest."”
- A dirty person.
- A despicable person; a lowlife.
- A short, thick man; a dwarf.
“John Romane, a short clownish grub, would bear the whole carcase of an ox, yet never tugged with him.”
verb
Etymology: From Middle English grubben, grobben, from Old English *grubbian, from Proto-West Germanic *grubb-, from Proto-Germanic *grubb- (compare Middle Dutch grobben (“to scrape, scramble, grab”), Old High German grubilōn (“to dig, search”), German grübeln (“to meditate, ponder”)), from Proto-Germanic *grub- (“to dig”) (see *grabaną). The noun sense of "larva" is from Middle English grub, grubbe, grobbe, crubbe and may derive from the notion of "digging insect" from the verb above, or from the uncertainly related Middle English grub (“dwarfish fellow”). Compare West Frisian krobbe (“beetle”). The slang sense of "food" is first recorded 1659, and has been linked with birds eating grubs or with bub (“drink”).
- To scavenge or in some way scrounge, typically for food.
- To dig; to dig up by the roots; to root out by digging; often followed by up.
“to grub up trees, rushes, or sedge”
“They do not attempt to grub up the root of sin.”
- To supply with food.
- To eat.
““[…] John dear, we must give this little fellow his supper, you know.” “Of course we must, my darling.” “He has been grubbing and grubbing at school,” said Bella, looking at her father’s hand and lightly slapping it, “till he’s not fit to be seen. O what a grubby child!””