grovel

3 definitions • 4 examples

to behave with too much respect towards someone to show that you are very eager to please them:

He sent a grovelling note of apology.

to move close to or on the ground:

I was grovelling under the sofa, trying to find my contact lens.

to lie facing the ground, esp. in fear, or to behave toward someone in a way that shows that you are small and unimportant and the other person is powerful:

My dog grovels at my feet when she’s done something wrong.

I’ll apologize, but I won’t grovel just because I made a mistake.