grave
Definitions
Very serious and worrying; solemn in manner
严重的，严峻的；严肃的
A hole dug in the ground where a dead person is buried
坟墓
Root Breakdown
Native EnglishThe adjective grave ('serious, solemn') comes from grav (heavy): a heavy matter is a serious one, a heavy face is a solemn one. Note: the noun grave ('burial pit') is a different word, from Germanic grafan 'to dig' — same spelling, unrelated origin. Only the 'serious' sense belongs to this root.
Root grav still carries 18 more wordsWhy It Means This
Grave is a classic homograph: two words spelled the same. The adjective (a grave error, a grave expression) is from Latin gravis 'heavy' and belongs to the grav family. The noun (visit a grave) comes from the unrelated Germanic verb grafan 'to dig.' They look identical but have no shared ancestor — a coincidence of spelling, not a family link.
Usage Guide
- Adjective (from gravis): grave danger, grave mistake, grave expression — formal, stronger than 'serious.'
- Noun (from grafan): a burial grave — unrelated origin, only shares spelling.
- The adverb gravely ('he was gravely ill') belongs to the adjective sense.
Example Sentences
- 1.
The doctors said his condition was grave.
- 2.
There were grave concerns about the safety of the bridge.
- 3.
They laid flowers on the grave every spring.