greet

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[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Etymology 1

Old English grētan, from Proto-Germanic *grōtijanan. Cognate with Dutch groeten, German grüßen. Compare Old Saxon grotian, Old Frisian greta, Old High German gruozen.

[edit] Verb

greet (third-person singular simple present greets, present participle greeting, simple past and past participle greeted)

  1. To address with salutations or expressions of kind wishes; to salute; to hail; to welcome; to accost with friendship; to pay respects or compliments to, either personally or through the intervention of another, or by writing or token.
    My lord, the mayor of London comes to greet you. -Shak.
    • 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I,
      Warwick observed, as they passed through the respectable quarter, that few people who met the girl greeted her, and that some others whom she passed at gates or doorways gave her no sign of recognition; from which he inferred that she was possibly a visitor in the town and not well acquainted.
  2. To come upon, or meet, as with something that makes the heart glad.
    In vain the spring my senses greets. -Addison.
  3. To accost; to address.
  4. (intransitive) To meet and give salutations.
    There greet in silence, as the dead are wont, And sleep in peace. -Shak.
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
to address with salutations or expressions of kind wishes
to come upon, or meet, as with something that makes the heart glad
to accost; to address
intransitive: to meet and give salutations

[edit] Etymology 2

EB1911 - Volume 01 - Page 001 - 1.svg This entry lacks etymological information. If you are familiar with the origin of this word, please add it to the page as described here.

[edit] Adjective

greet (comparative more greet, superlative most greet)

  1. (obsolete, except Scotland) Great.

[edit] Etymology 3

From a blend of two Old English verbs, grētan (cognate with Swedish gräta', Danish græde) and grēotan (of uncertain ultimate origin), both ‘weep, lament’.

[edit] Verb

greet (third-person singular simple present greets, present participle greeting, simple past and past participle greeted)

  1. (Scotland, northern England) To weep; to cry.
    • 2008, James Kelman, Kieron Smith, Boy, Penguin 2009, p. 2:
      My maw went potty and started greeting.

[edit] Noun

greet (uncountable)

  1. (obsolete) Mourning, weeping, lamentation.

[edit] References

[edit] Anagrams

[edit] Middle English

[edit] Alternative forms

[edit] Adjective

greet (comparative greter, superlative gretest)

  1. great (large, significant)

[edit] Descendants

[edit] Scots

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Etymology 1

From a blend of two Old English verbs, grētan (cognate with Swedish gråta', Danish græde) and grēotan (of uncertain ultimate origin), both ‘weep, lament’.

[edit] Verb

tae greet (third-person singular simple present greets, present participle greetin, simple past grat or grettit, past participle grutten)

  1. to weep, lament

[edit] Noun

greet (uncountable)

  1. cry, lamentation

[edit] Etymology 2

From Old English grēat, from Proto-Germanic *grautaz.

[edit] Adjective

greet (comparative greeter, superlative greetest)

  1. great
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