giref

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Maltese

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Root
g-r-f
1 term

Etymology

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Probably from Arabic جَرَفَ (jarafa, to sweep away, scoop, shovel). Compare gerriefa (kind of hoe) with Arabic جَرّافة (jarrāfa) and مِجْرَفة (mijrafa), both originally “rake, hoe, shovel”.

Alternatively it has been linked to قَرَفَ (qarafa, to peel, decorticate), but this is less likely; also because Maltese g- almost never goes back to Arabic ق (q). Finally one should note Old French grifer (to scratch), from Proto-Germanic *grīpaną, which (though clearly not the ultimate origin) might have influenced the sense and/or form.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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giref (imperfect jigref, past participle migruf, verbal noun grif)

  1. to scratch
  2. to steal, swindle

Conjugation

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    Conjugation of giref
singular plural
1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person 2nd person 3rd person
perfect m grift grift giref grifna griftu girfu
f girfet
imperfect m nigref tigref jigref nigirfu tigirfu jigirfu
f tigref
imperative igref igirfu