grieg: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
rare/archaicliterary/archaic/regional
Quick answer
What does “grieg” mean?
A sudden sharp feeling or emotion, often of fear or excitement.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sudden sharp feeling or emotion, often of fear or excitement.
An archaic or literary term for a shudder, thrill, or sudden pang of emotion; sometimes used in Scottish English to mean a slight trembling or shivering.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word is virtually extinct in modern American English. In British English, it retains a ghost presence in literary works and may be encountered in Scottish dialect writing.
Connotations
Conveys a sense of old-world, poetic, or regional flavour. Its use today is self-consciously stylistic.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both dialects, approaching zero in corpus data. Slightly higher historical attestation in UK sources.
Grammar
How to Use “grieg” in a Sentence
[Subject] felt a grieg of [Emotion] (e.g., He felt a grieg of terror).[Emotion] sent a grieg through [Subject] (e.g., Dread sent a grieg through her).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “grieg” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Archaic) It grieged him to think of it.
American English
- Not used.
adverb
British English
- Not used.
American English
- Not used.
adjective
British English
- (Rare) A grieg-like sensation.
American English
- Not used.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in historical literary analysis or philology.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “grieg”
- Using it in modern contexts where 'shiver' or 'shudder' is appropriate.
- Misspelling as 'greig' or 'greeg'.
- Assuming it is a current, productive word.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic or regional (Scottish) word and is extremely rare in modern usage.
Historically, yes, but the verbal use is even rarer than the noun and is considered obsolete.
No, it is unrelated. The composer's surname is Norwegian. This is an English word of obscure origin, possibly related to 'gree' (a Scottish term for superiority) or onomatopoeic for a shudder.
No. It is a curiosity for advanced learners interested in historical or literary vocabulary but is not necessary for active use.
A sudden sharp feeling or emotion, often of fear or excitement.
Grieg is usually literary/archaic/regional in register.
Grieg: in British English it is pronounced /ɡriːɡ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡriɡ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None in common use. Historically: 'to have a grieg at one's heart' (to feel a sudden dread).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'Grieg' the composer's music sometimes causing a shiver of excitement.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTION IS A PHYSICAL FORCE/SHOCK (A grieg strikes or runs through someone).
Practice
Quiz
In which context might you *most likely* encounter the word 'grieg'?