verb
grovel
GRO-vuhl
verb
1
To lie or crawl face-down on the ground, often out of fear or submission.
"The dog grovelled at his owner's feet after being scolded."
2
To act with exaggerated humility or flattery toward someone, especially to win their favor or forgiveness.
"He had to grovel to his boss after missing the deadline."
"She grovelled apologetically, hoping he'd forgive her."
How to Use Grovel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo act overly submissive or beg for forgiveness/favor, sometimes literally lying down.
Common mistake
Almost always used with a negative, cringing connotation — it implies excessive, undignified submission.
Common pairings
grovel for forgiveness
grovel before someone
Word Forms
groveled past tense, grovelled past tense, grovels singular
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Etymology
From an Old Norse phrase meaning "on one's belly," which became the verb grufla ("to grovel"), eventually reshaped in English as grovel.