Grudge, n.
1. Sullen malice or malevolence; cherished malice, enmity, or dislike; ill will; an old cause of hatred or quarrel. Esau had conceived a mortal grudge and eumity against hie brother Jacob. South. The feeling may not be envy; it may not be imbittered by a grudge. I. Taylor.
2. Slight symptom of disease. [Obs.] Our shaken monarchy, that now lies . . . struggling againat the grudges of more dreaded calamities. Milton.
Syn. -- Pique; aversion; dislike; ill will; hatred; spite. See Pique.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Grudge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Grudger; p. pr. & vb. n. Grudging.]
1. To look upon with desire to possess or to appropriate; to envy (one) the possession of; to begrudge; to covet; to give with reluctance; to desire to get back again; -- followed by the direct object only, or by both the direct and indirect objects. Tis not in thee To grudge my pleasures, to cut off my train. Shak. I have often heard the Presbyterians say, they did not grudge us our employments. Swift. They have grudged us contribution. Shak.
2. To hold or harbor with malicioua disposition or purpose; to cherish enviously. [Obs.] Perish they That grudge one thought against your majesty ! Shak.
Grudge, v. i.
1. To be covetous or envious; to show discontent; to murmur; to complain; to repine; to be unwilling or reluctant. Grudge not one against another. James v. 9. He eats his meat without grudging. Shak.
2. To feel compunction or grief. [Obs.] Bp. Fisher.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for grudge; he lists it under hatred, pique.
Where he writes about it:
Spite is petty malice that delights to inflict stinging pain; grudge is deeper than spite; it is sinister and bitter; grudge, resentment, and revenge are all retaliatory, grudge being the disposition, revenge the determination to repay real or supposed offense with injury; revenge may denote also the retaliatory act; resentment, the best word of the three, always holds itself to be justifiable, but looks less certainly to action than grudge or revenge. — from hatred