v.
(grovels, grovelling, grovelled; US grovels, groveling, groveled)
- crouch or crawl abjectly on the ground.
- act obsequiously to obtain forgiveness or favour.
Derivative
- groveller n.
- grovelling adj.
- grovellingly adv.
Etymology
ME: back-form. from the obs. adv. grovelling, from obs. groof, grufe ‘the face or front’ (from ON á grúfu ‘face downwards’) + the suffix -ling.