Etymology From Middle English greven, from Old French grever (“to burden”), from Latin gravō, gravāre, from adjective gravis (“grave”). For the meaning development compare Russian тяготи́ть (tjagotítʹ, “to be a burden (on), to oppress”), Russian тужи́ть (tužítʹ, “to experience grief”), related to тяжёлый (tjažólyj, “heavy, grave”), тя́жкий (tjážkij).
1
To cause sorrow or distress to.
Thy maidens griev'd themselves at my concern.1782, William Cowper, “On the Receipt of my Mother’s Picture”, in Poems, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC:
Even if the executive director rules against the employee on appeal, the employee can still grieve the termination to the superintendent followed by an appeal to the … Board of Trustees.2009, D'Amico, Rob (editor), Texas Teacher, published by Texas AFT (affiliate of American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO); "Austin classified employees gain due process rights", April 2009, p14
Etymology From Middle English greve, greyve, grave, grafe, from Old Norse greifi, from Middle Low German grēve, grâve, related to Old English grœfa, groefa, variants of Old English ġerēfa (“steward, reeve”). More at reeve.
1559-1566, John Knox, History of the Reformation in Scotland [A prince] is nothing but a servant, overseer, or grieve, and not the head, which is a title belonging only to Christ.
[T]heir children were horsewhipped by the grieve when found trespassing; […]1815 February 24, [Walter Scott], chapter VII, in Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and Archibald Constable and Co., […], →OCLC, page 110: