grief Hear it!

grief definition

grief (grēf)

noun

  1. intense emotional suffering caused by loss, disaster, misfortune, etc.; acute sorrow; deep sadness
  2. a cause or the subject of such suffering
  3. Informal
    1. irritation or frustration, esp. from accidents, mishaps, etc. the griefs of a computer operator
    2. trouble; difficulty; problem enough grief for one day
    3. a cause of any of these

Etymology: ME gref < OFr, sorrow, grief < grever: see grieve

grief Idioms

come to grief

to fail or be ruined

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

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