grave
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++grave1 /ɡreɪv/ ●●○ noun [countable] 1 MXthe place in the ground where a dead body is buried 坟墓，墓穴 → tomb At the head of the grave there was a small wooden cross. 坟头上有一个小小的木十字架。2 the grave literaryDIE death 死亡 He took that secret to the grave. 他把那个秘密带进了坟墓。3 somebody would turn in their grave DISAPPROVEused to say that someone who is dead would strongly disapprove of something happening now 某人于九泉之下难以安息〔用于表示即使是死者也会强烈反对〕 The way Bill plays that piece would have Mozart turning in his grave. 比尔如此演奏那首曲子，会使莫扎特在九泉之下也难以安息的。 → dig your own grave at dig1(8), → from (the) cradle to (the) grave at cradle1(3), → have one foot in the grave at foot1(24), → silent as the grave at silent(3), → a watery grave at watery(4)n COLLOCATIONSverbsdig a graveIn the churchyard, a man was digging a grave.mark a graveThe stone marked the grave of their young daughter.bury somebody in a grave (=put someone in a grave)She was buried in a grave next to her older sister.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + gravea shallow grave (=a hole that is not very deep in the ground)They found the woman’s remains in a shallow grave in the woods.a mass grave (=one that is filled with many people, especially people killed in a war or people who died of a disease at a similar time)Plague victims were buried in a mass grave.an unmarked grave (=one that does not have anything to show where it is or who is in it)Until 1855, poor people here were buried in unmarked graves.a family grave (=one where members of a family are buried together)Walter died in 1922 and was buried in the family grave in Finchley cemetery.an open grave (=one that has not yet been covered in earth)He wept by her open grave.grave + NOUNa grave site (=the place where a grave is)The president visited the grave sites of 12 youths killed in recent bombings.
Examples from the Corpus
grave• One of two silver cups found together with a set of wine-drinking utensils in a grave.• The miracles which have since occurred at his grave have confirmed his holiness.• Beethoven may be rolling over in his grave, but audiences love it.• And do the different types of grave reflect different periods or something else?• Her body was found buried in a shallow grave in a grove two days after she was last seen with Thompson.• In fact, none of the graves has any marker at all, and the graveyard itself is unmarked and untended.• This band will not go to their graves with their songs still in them.grave2 ●●○ adjective 1 SERIOUS PERSONgrave problems, situations, or worries are very great or bad 严重的，重大的，严峻的 → serious Matthew’s life is in grave danger. 马修的生命危在旦夕。 The report expressed grave concern over the technicians’ lack of training. 报告中对技术人员缺乏培训深表忧虑。 I have grave doubts about his ability. 我十分怀疑他的能力。 The situation is becoming very grave. 形势变得非常严峻。► see thesaurus at serious RegisterIn everyday English, people usually use serious rather than grave, and seriously rather than gravely: 日常英语中，人们一般说serious和seriously，而不说grave和gravelyI have serious doubts about whether he’s up to the job. 我十分怀疑他是否能胜任这个工作。I’m seriously worried about her. 我非常担心她。2 SERIOUS/NOT JOKINGlooking or sounding quiet and serious, especially because something important or worrying has happened 严肃的，凝重的 SYN sombre Turnbull’s face was grave as he told them about the accident. 特恩布尔在告诉他们这次事故时表情十分严肃。 —gravely adverb Adam nodded gravely. 亚当神情严肃地点点头。 We are gravely concerned (=very concerned) about these developments. 我们对事态的发展深表忧虑。 → gravityExamples from the Corpus
grave• "We might be too late, " she said gravely.• His expression was grave and he looked deep in thought.• Holmes looked grave, and stood deep in worried thought for a minute or two.• The ambassador declared that there would be grave consequences if the hostages were not released.• A thick fog descended on the mountain, and I knew that we were in grave danger.• I have grave doubts that this new government will last.• Dr. Fromm looked grave. "I have some bad news, " he said.• "It would be a grave mistake, " said the president, "to ignore the problem, and pretend that it will go away."• Although, now she came to think about it, maybe such caution had been a grave mistake.• a grave mistake• Oppenheimer was, by nature, a philosophical, rather grave person, but some of his colleagues were anything but.• There was a grave risk that the operation would leave him partly paralysed.• Luch looked over at Hector for his smile before bowing grave thanks.• The advance of the disease presents a grave threat to the livestock industry.• The situation is grave -- war now seems inevitable.• His expression became very grave when we told him what had happened.grave doubts• There must, too, be the gravest doubts about a system which excludes those who prefer not to join a union.• Gryschenko, 42, from Kiev, had had grave doubts about doing the first leg of the race.• For decades, the party even had grave doubts about his politics.• I have grave doubts about that.• I had grave doubts about where he might take it.• In my talk with Alec he himself expressed grave doubts whether he wished to take it on.grave3 /ɡrɑːv/ adjective SLAa grave accent is a mark put above a letter in some languages such as French to show the pronunciation, for example è 有沉[抑]音符的〔法语等语言中标在字母之上表示发音的符号〕 → acute, circumflexExamples from the Corpus
grave• I felt the sinking whir of the back wheel as it dug its own grave.• His expression was grave and he looked deep in thought.• Although, now she came to think about it, maybe such caution had been a grave mistake.• Those who see all the monuments as tombs argue that grave robbers removed the evidence.• Prosecutors said Saturday that the professed psychic is being held on charges ranging from grave robbery to conspiracy to mislead officials.• Luch looked over at Hector for his smile before bowing grave thanks.• The advance of the disease presents a grave threat to the livestock industry.Origin grave1 Old English græfgrave1 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1grave2 adjective →REGISTER1grave3 adjectiveLDOCE OnlineChinese
place ground Corpus a where the dead in the
grave
grave1 /ɡreɪv/ 
noun [countable]
At the head of the grave there was a small wooden cross.
2. the grave literary death:
He took that secret to the grave.
3. somebody would turn in their grave used to say that someone who is dead would strongly disapprove of something happening now:
The way Bill plays that piece would have Mozart turning in his grave.
⇨ dig your own grave at dig1(8), ⇨ from (the) cradle to (the) grave at cradle1(3), ⇨ have one foot in the grave at foot1(24), ⇨ silent as the grave at silent(3), ⇨ a watery grave at watery(4)
■ verbs
▪dig a grave In the churchyard, a man was digging a grave.
▪mark a grave The stone marked the grave of their young daughter.
▪bury somebody in a grave (=put someone in a grave) She was buried in a grave next to her older sister.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + grave
▪a shallow grave (=a hole that is not very deep in the ground) They found the woman’s remains in a shallow grave in the woods.
▪a mass grave (=one that is filled with many people, especially people killed in a war or people who died of a disease at a similar time) Plague victims were buried in a mass grave.
▪an unmarked grave (=one that does not have anything to show where it is or who is in it) Until 1855, poor people here were buried in unmarked graves.
▪a family grave (=one where members of a family are buried together) Walter died in 1922 and was buried in the family grave in Finchley cemetery.
▪an open grave (=one that has not yet been covered in earth) He wept by her open grave.
■ grave + NOUN
▪a grave site (=the place where a grave is) The President visited the grave sites of 12 youths killed in recent bombings.
grave2 adjective
1. grave problems, situations, or worries are very great or bad ⇨ serious:
Matthew’s life is in grave danger.
The report expressed grave concern over the technicians’ lack of training.
I have grave doubts about his ability.
The situation is becoming very grave.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually use serious rather than grave, and seriously rather than gravely:
▪I have serious doubts about whether he’s up to the job.
▪I’m seriously worried about her.
2. looking or sounding quiet and serious, especially because something important or worrying has happened
SYN sombre:
Turnbull’s face was grave as he told them about the accident.
—gravely adverb:
Adam nodded gravely.
We are gravely concerned (=very concerned) about these developments.
⇨ gravity
grave3 /ɡrɑːv/ adjective
a grave accent is a mark put above a letter in some languages such as French to show the pronunciation, for example è ⇨ acute, circumflex
| I |
noun [countable] Language: Old English
Origin: græf
1. the place in the ground where a dead body is buried ⇨ tomb:Origin: græf
2. the grave literary death:
3. somebody would turn in their grave used to say that someone who is dead would strongly disapprove of something happening now:
⇨ dig your own grave at dig1(8), ⇨ from (the) cradle to (the) grave at cradle1(3), ⇨ have one foot in the grave at foot1(24), ⇨ silent as the grave at silent(3), ⇨ a watery grave at watery(4)
| COLLOCATIONS |
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■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + grave
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■ grave + NOUN
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| II |
adjective1. grave problems, situations, or worries are very great or bad ⇨ serious:
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually use serious rather than grave, and seriously rather than gravely:
▪
▪
2. looking or sounding quiet and serious, especially because something important or worrying has happened
SYN sombre:
—gravely adverb:
⇨ gravity
| III |
adjectivea grave accent is a mark put above a letter in some languages such as French to show the pronunciation, for example è ⇨ acute, circumflex
often
usually
also
serious thinking about things in a careful and sensible way; not laughing about sth 指严肃的、稳重的、认真的 ：◆ He's not really a very serious person. 他并不真是一个非常严肃的人。 ◆ Be serious for a moment; this is important.严肃点儿，这件事很重要。 grave ( (of a person) serious in manner, as if sth sad, important, or worrying has just happenedrather
指人严肃、庄严、沉重 ：◆ He looked very grave as he entered the room. 他进屋时表情非常严肃。 earnest serious and sincere 指认真的、诚实的、真诚的 ：◆ The earnest young doctor answered all our questions. 这个认真的年轻医生回答了我们所有的问题。 solemn looking or sounding very serious, without smiling; done or said in a very serious and sincere way 指表情严肃的、冷峻的、庄严的、郑重的 ：◆ Her expression grew solemn. 她的表情显得严肃起来。 ◆ I made a solemn promise that I would return.我郑重承诺过我会回来的。
Patterns
a(n) serious/grave/earnest/solemn expression/face a serious/solemn mood/atmosphere