grudge

[ gruhj ]

noun

1. a feeling of ill will or resentment:

   to hold a grudge against a former opponent.

   Synonyms: bitterness, hatred, enmity, malevolence, rancor

adjective

1. done, arranged, etc., in order to settle a grudge:

   The middleweight fight was said to be a grudge match.

verb (used with object)

, grudged, grudg·ing.

1. to give or permit with reluctance; submit to unwillingly:

   The other team grudged us every point we scored.

2. to resent the good fortune of (another); begrudge:

   A lot of people grudge those billionaires all that money.

   Synonyms: envy

verb (used without object)

, grudged, grudg·ing.

1. Obsolete. to feel dissatisfaction or ill will.

grudge

/ ɡrʌdʒ /

noun

1. a persistent feeling of resentment, esp one due to some cause, such as an insult or injury
2. modifier planned or carried out in order to settle a grudge

   a grudge fight

verb

1. tr to give or allow unwillingly
2. to feel resentful or envious about (someone else's success, possessions, etc)

Derived Forms

• ˈgrudgingly, adverb
• ˈgrudgeless, adjective
• ˈgrudger, noun
• ˈgrudging, adjective

Other Words From

• grudgeless adjective
• grudger noun
• un·grudged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of grudge¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English grudgen, gruggen, variant of gruchen, from Old French gro(u)c(h)ier, from Germanic; compare Middle High German grogezen “to complain, cry out”

Word History and Origins

Origin of grudge¹

C15: from Old French grouchier to grumble, probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German grunnizōn to grunt

Idioms and Phrases

see bear a grudge ; nurse a grudge .

Synonym Study

Grudge, malice, spite refer to ill will held against another or others. A grudge is a feeling of resentment harbored because of some real or fancied wrong: to hold a grudge because of jealousy; She has a grudge against him. Malice is the state of mind that delights in doing harm, or seeing harm done, to others, whether expressing itself in an attempt seriously to injure or merely in sardonic humor: malice in watching someone's embarrassment; to tell lies about someone out of malice. Spite is petty, and often sudden, resentment that manifests itself usually in trifling retaliations: to reveal a secret out of spite.

Example Sentences

We Micks only hold a grudge about such things for 300 years or so.

From The Daily Beast

One nabob even seems to have commandeered the challenge to reignite an old grudge.

From The Daily Beast

Of course, this theory makes sense as the answer to a question like, “Why is Solange holding a grudge against Jay Z?”

From The Daily Beast

But I meant it less as you holding a grudge and more as… Of course I had to register the protest.

From The Daily Beast

Consider what The Ring, The Grudge, Dark Water, Pulse, and a slew of other horror remakes have to add.

From The Daily Beast

This would be an awful blow to us out here, would be a sign that Providence had some grudge against the Dardanelles.

From Project Gutenberg

It was miserable economy indeed to grudge a reward of a few thousands to one who had made the State richer by millions.

From Project Gutenberg

I grudge no trouble in the duty that Providence has forced upon me of superintending the lives of any of my girls.

From Project Gutenberg

In any case, after the first hours of bitterness, Tchaikovsky bore no grudge against the faithless lady.

From Project Gutenberg

Now he had a new grudge against Louis de Valmont; to the sins of the master had been added those of the men.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• animosity
• animus
• antipathy
• bad blood
• bitterness
• enmity
• grievance
• hard feelings
• hatred
• ill will
• injustice
• malice
• rancor
• resentment