Grief, n.
Etymology: [OE. grief, gref, OF. grief, gref, F. grief, L. gravis heavy; akin to Gr. , Skr. guru, Goth. karus. Cf. Barometer, Grave, a., Grieve, Gooroo.]
1. Pain of mind on account of something in the past; mental suffering arising from any cause, as misfortune, loss of friends, misconduct of one's self or others, etc.; sorrow; sadness. The mother was so afflicted at the loss of a fine boy, . . . that she died for grief of it. Addison.
2. Cause of sorrow or pain; that which afficts or distresses; trial; grievance. Be factious for redress of all these griefs. Shak.
3. Physical pain, or a cause of it; malady. [R.] This grief (cancerous ulcers) hastened the end of that famous mathematician, Mr. Harriot. Wood. To come to grief, to meet with calamity, accident, defeat, ruin, etc., causing grief; to turn out badly. [Colloq.]
Syn. -- Affiction; sorrow; distress; sadness; trial; grievance. Grief, Sorrow, Sadness. Sorrow is the generic term; grief is sorrow for some definite cause -- one which commenced, at least, in the past; sadness is applied to a permanent mood of the mind. Sorrow is transient in many cases; but the grief of a mother for the loss of a favorite child too often turns into habitual sadness. "Grief is sometimes considered as synonymous with sorrow; and in this case we speak of the transports of grief. At other times it expresses more silent, deep, and painful affections, such as are inspired by domestic calamities, particularly by the loss of friends and relatives, or by the distress, either of body or mind, experienced by those whom we love and value." Cogan.See Affliction.
Shades of meaning
Grief is acute mental pain resulting from loss, misfortune, or deep disappointment. Grief is more acute and less enduring than sorrow. Sorrow and grief are for definite cause; sadness and melancholy may arise from a vague sense of want or loss, from a low state of health, or other ill-defined cause; sadness may be momentary; melancholy is more enduring, and may become chronic. Affliction expresses a deep heart-sorrow and is applied also to the misfortune producing such sorrow; mourning most frequently denotes sorrow publicly expressed, or the public expression of such sorrow as may reasonably be expected; as, it is common to observe thirty days of mourning on the death of an officer of state.
Prepositions
Grief at a loss; for a friend.