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greet1 definition

greet (grēt)

transitive verb

  1. to speak or write to with expressions of friendliness, respect, pleasure, etc., as in meeting or by letter; hail; welcome
  2. to meet, receive, address, or acknowledge (a person, utterance, or event) in a specified way the speech was greeted with cheers; the army was greeted by cannon shots
  3. to come or appear to; meet a roaring sound greeted his ears

Etymology: ME greten < OE gretan, grætan, akin to Du groetan, Ger grüssen < IE *ghredh- < base *gher-, echoic of outcry > L hirrire, to whimper, growl

Related Forms:

greet2 definition

greet (grēt)

intransitive verb

Scot. to weep; lament

Etymology: ME greten < OE grætan, akin to Goth gretan and to greet

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

greet Synonyms

greet

v.

welcome, accost, speak to, salute, address, hail, recognize, embrace, shake hands, nod, bow, curtsy, receive, call to, stop, acknowledge, bow to, approach, give one's love, hold out the hand, extend the right of friendship, herald, bid good day, bid hello, bid welcome, make welcome, exchange greetings, move to, usher in, attend, pay one's respects.

Antonyms ignore*, snub*, slight.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

greet Usage Examples

Object

  • card: Then I started to make greeting cards, which were very popular locally.

Preposition: on

  • arrival: Her Royal Highness was greeted on arrival by Mr. Patrick Evelyn, Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey.

Subject

  • applause: Following a great evening which included our first illuminated boat display which was greeted by applause from the crowd on the bank.

Preposition: as

  • liberator: They entered Milan on 15 May, and were greeted as liberators by Italian radicals expecting to enjoy the benefits of revolutionary liberties.

Preposition: with

  • applause: Every catch by Neenan was greeted with tumultuous applause, every desperate tackle by a Burnley player produced roars of approval.

Preposition: by

  • applause: Following a great evening which included our first illuminated boat display which was greeted by applause from the crowd on the bank.
greet usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

greet quotes

Ah! gentle dames! it gars me greet, To think how mony counsels sweet, How mony lengthen'd sage advices, The husband frae the wife despises!

-Burns, Robert

greet quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"greet." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/greet>

APA Style

greet. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/greet

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