Grave — Defs

01 v. t. To clean, as a vessel's bottom, of barnacles, grass, etc., and pay it over with pitch; -- so called because graves or greaves was formerly …

1.
To clean, as a vessel's bottom, of barnacles, grass, etc., and pay it over with pitch; -- so called because graves or greaves was formerly used for this purpose.(Naut.)

02 a. Of great weight; heavy; ponderous.

1.
Of great weight; heavy; ponderous.[Obs.]
“His shield grave and great.” — Chapman.
2.
Of importance; momentous; weighty; influential; sedate; serious; -- said of character, relations, etc.; as, grave deportment, character, influence, etc.
“Most potent, grave, and reverend seigniors.” — Shak.

“A grave and prudent law, full of moral equity.” — Milton.
3.
Not light or gay; solemn; sober; plain; as, a grave color; a grave face.
4.
Not acute or sharp; low; deep; -- said of sound; as, a grave note or key.(Mus.)
“The thicker the cord or string, the more grave is the note or tone.” — Moore (Encyc. of Music).
5.
Slow and solemn in movement.

Phrases & compounds

Grave accent — See the Note under Accent, n., 2.

Syn. Solemn; sober; serious; sage; staid; demure; thoughtful; sedate; weighty; momentous; important.

-- Grave, Sober, Serious, Solemn. Sober supposes the absence of all exhilaration of spirits, and is opposed to gay or flighty; as, sober thought. Serious implies considerateness or reflection, and is opposed to jocose or sportive; as, serious and important concerns. Grave denotes a state of mind, appearance, etc., which results from the pressure of weighty interests, and is opposed to hilarity of feeling or vivacity of manner; as, a qrave remark; qrave attire. Solemn is applied to a case in which gravity is carried to its highest point; as, a solemn admonition; a solemn promise.

03 v. t. To dig. [Obs.] Chaucer.

imp. Graved; p. p. Graven; p. pr. & vb. n. Graving

1.
To dig. [Obs.] Chaucer.[Obs.]
“He hath graven and digged up a pit.” — Ps. vii. 16 (Book of Common Prayer).
2.
To carve or cut, as letters or figures, on some hard substance; to engrave.
“Thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel.” — Ex. xxviii. 9.
3.
To carve out or give shape to, by cutting with a chisel; to sculpture; as, to grave an image.
“With gold men may the hearte grave.” — Chaucer.
4.
To impress deeply (on the mind); to fix indelibly.
“O! may they graven in thy heart remain.” — Prior.
5.
To entomb; to bury.[Obs.]
“Lie full low, graved in the hollow ground.” — Shak.

04 v. i. To write or delineate on hard substances, by means of incised lines; to practice engraving.

1.
To write or delineate on hard substances, by means of incised lines; to practice engraving.

05 n. An excavation in the earth as a place of burial; also, any place of interment; a tomb; a sepulcher. Hence: Death; destruction.

1.
An excavation in the earth as a place of burial; also, any place of interment; a tomb; a sepulcher. Hence: Death; destruction.
“He bad lain in the grave four days.” — John xi. 17.

Phrases & compounds

Grave wax — adipocere