grobble
English
Alternative forms
- groffle, gruffle
Etymology
From grob (“to grub”) + -le (frequentative suffix). Compare grubble.
Verb
grobble (third-person singular simple present grobbles, present participle grobbling, simple past and past participle grobbled)
- (dialectal, transitive, intransitive) To make holes; dig, poke, pick out.
- (dialectal, transitive, intransitive) To feel around, as in the dark; grope.
- (dialectal, intransitive) To work in an inefficient and laborious way; to do rough, dirty work.
- (dialectal, intransitive) To loiter, hang around idly.