Middle English Dictionary Entry
grū̆f(fe n. & adj. & adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | grū̆f(fe n. & adj. & adv. Also grof(fe, grouffe & grove. |
| Etymology | ON; cp. OI ā grūfu. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. grovelinge(s.
1.
(a) As noun: a ~, on (the) ~, o ~, face downward, on the face, prone; (b) as adj.: face downward; lien ~; with face ~, face downward; (c) as adv.: fallen (turnen) ~, to fall (turn) face downward; leien ~, to lay (oneself) prone.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425 Chaucer CT.Kn.(Petw 7)A.949 : Þei fillen a Gruf.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3850 : Than Gawayne..one þe groffe fallis.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3869 : Qwat gome was he..þat es one growffe fallyn?
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)88b : O grufe: Resupinus.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.6391 : Many a man lyn..lowe be þe grounde, With face gruf & blody stremys wyde.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)8.537 : She lay pale & gruff upon the grounde.
- c1450(?a1405) Lydg.CBK (Frf 16)167 : He thus lay in lamentacioun, Gruffe [vr. Grooffe] on the grounde.
- a1500(c1445) Lydg.Mir.Edmund (Ashm 46)269 : The chyld lay gruff, myght nat recure.
c
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.949 : They fillen gruf [vrr. groffe, groueling] and criden pitously.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pri.(Manly-Rickert)B.1865 : And gruf [vrr. grof, groue] he fil al plat vp on the grounde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5406 : Of þat wounde he fil gruf on þe pleyn.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3572 : Aiax..Fil ded also, gruf vnto þe grounde Ful pitously.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.912 : She on hire armes two Fil gruf, and gan to wepen pitously.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2561 : So full of peyne shalt thou crepe..And turne full ofte on every side, Now dounward groff, and now upright.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)124/12 : But hir hold fayled, and sche fel down gruf up-on þe ground.
- c1450(c1400) Emare (Clg A.2)656 : She was aferde..And layde her gruf vpon a tre.