Grievous

Adjective

Definition: Causing grief or pain; serious, dire, grave.

Synonyms: Grave, Serious, Severe, Painful, Distressing

Antonyms: Minor, Trivial, Insignificant, Light

Examples:
  • The loss of a loved one is a grievous event.
  • The country is facing grievous economic hardships.
Mnemonics:
  • Think of the word "grief" and how it is often associated with deep sorrow and pain.
  • Imagine someone experiencing severe grief.

Etymology:

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'full of sorrow, grievous'): from Old French grevous, based on Latin gravis 'heavy, severe'.

Historical Usage:

The word has been used since Middle English with the same meaning, indicating the severity of something causing grief or pain.

Related Idioms:

Idiom:

"Grievous bodily harm"

Explanation:

This phrase refers to a serious physical injury that causes significant pain or harm.

Misconceptions:

Misconception:

Confusing the spelling of "grievous" with "grevious" or "greivous".

Explanation:

The correct spelling is "grievous" and not "grevious" or "greivous".

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