griff 
griff 2 (grif), . [Abbr. of griffin, 4.] Same as 
griffin, 4. 
There were three more cadets on the same steamer, going 
up to that great griff depot t Oudapoor. 
W. D. Arnold, Oakfleld, I. 38. 
griff s t, n. and r. An obsolete variant of graft' 2 '. 
griff' (grif), n. [Also grif; origin obscure.] A 
deep valley with a rocky chasm at the bottom. 
[North. Eng.] 
griff 5 , griffe 2 (grif), . [Cf . Sp. grifo, a griffin, 
grifos, frizzled hair.] A mulatto; especially, a 
mulatto woman. [Louisiana, U. S.] 
griffard (grif'ard), n. [< F. griffard, < griffe, a 
claw (see griff 1 ), -f -ard.] A South American 
crested hawk, Spizaetus bcllicosus. 
griffe 1 (grif), n. [F., a claw: see griffi.] 1. 
In medieval arch., from the eleventh to the fif- 
teenth century, an ornament on the bases of 
Medieval Griffin. Porch of the Duomo, 
Verona, Italy. 
Griffes. I, from Vezelay ; 2, from Poi&sy ; end of jath century. 
(From Viollet-le-Duc's " Diet, de r Architecture.' 1 ) 
pillars, connecting the torus with each angle 
of the plinth. 2. In wine-making, a deposit 
which forms within eight or ten days after 
new wines are bottled. It is removed, and the bot- 
tle filled up with liquor and recorked, and the process is 
repeated as many times as necessary until the wine re- 
mains perfectly clear. 
Eight or ten days afterwards [after bottling champagne] 
a deposit, called griffe, is found at the bottom of the bottle. 
Ure., Diet., III. 1144. 
griflfe 2 , n. See griff*. 
griffin (grif'in), n. [Also written griffon, gry- 
phon, and formerly gryfon; < ME. griffyn, usu- 
ally griffon, 
griffoun = D. 
griffoen, < OF. 
grifon, F. grif- 
fon = Pr. grifo, 
now griffoun = 
Sp. grifon = It. 
grifone, < ML. 
'grypho(n-), gri- 
pho(n-), gri- 
fo(n-), grif- 
fo(n-), a griffin 
(also in ML. a 
certain coin), 
aug. of the sim- 
ple form, OF. 
grif, also grip 
= Sp. grifo = 
Pg_- fftfo, gripho, grypho = It. griffo (= OHG. 
grif, grifo, MHG. grif, G. greif, etc., = E. gripe : 
see gripe&), < LL. gryphus, ML. also griphus, 
grif us, griffus, a griffin, a vulture (of. gripm, 
grippa, a kind of ship), a var. of L. gryps, < Gr. 
ypvy (Ypvx-), a fabulous creature variously de- 
scribed, named from its hooked beak, < ypmof, 
curved, hook-nosed. The application to a vul- 
ture seems to have been suggested by the like- 
ness of Gr. ypi'V 1 , a grif- 
fin, to yinl>, a vulture. 
Cf. gripe*.] 1. In myth., 
an imaginary animal 
supposed to be gener- 
ated between the lion 
and the eagle, and to 
combine the head, front, 
and wings of an eagle 
with the body and hind 
quarters of a lion. This animal was supposed to watch 
over mines of gold and hidden treasures, and was conse- 
crated to the sun. The figure of the griffin is seen on an- 
cient coins, and is borne in coat-armor. It is also a fre- 
quent motive in architectural decoration. 
Oirphinne, baith bird and best, we suld call it 
To blase, "membrit and armyt" boith lustly. 
Books of Precedence (E. E. T. S.. extra ser.), i. 99. 
Where there are also Gryphon* keepers of their trea- 
sures, or men with Coats feet. 
Pttrchas, Pilgrimage, p. 395. 
As when a gryphon through the wilderness 
With winged course, o'er hill or moory dale, 
Pursues the Arimasplan. Milton, P. L., il. 943. 
Two Sphinxes very clearly to be recognised on the cyl- 
inder, but which Mr. King strangely enough converts in 
his description Into Gryphons. 
C. T. Newton, Art and Archteol., p. 314. 
Griffin, from a Greek Sarco- 
phagus. 
2623 
Men and boys astride 
On wyvern, lion, dragon, griffin, swan, 
At all the corners, named us each by name. 
Tennyson, Holy Grail. 
2. In ornith., a vulture of the genus Gyps ; a 
griffin-vulture. 3. Figuratively, a vigilant or 
repellent guardian ; one who stands in the way 
of free approach or intercourse: in England 
applied especially to a woman acting as a du- 
enna. 4. [Anglo-Ind., a new-comer in India 
" being h umorously regarded as a kind of strange 
hybrid animal, neither Indian nor English."] 
In India and the East generally: (a) A person 
not familiar with the customs or ways of the 
country; a new-comer; a novice; a greenhorn. 
No one but a griffin of the greenest ever gave anybody 
a rupee in Bombay. F. M. Crawford, Mr. Isaacs, vii. 
(6) A racing pony or horse that runs for its first 
time. Also griff, in both uses Bearded griffin, 
the lammergeier, Gypa.et.iis barbahut. Griffin's egg, a 
name given in the middle ages to any large egg of a bird 
unknown to the people of Europe, as the ostrich or emu. 
Such eggs were used in ornamental work, as for cups. 
Order Of the Griffin, an order of the grand duchy 
of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, founded in 1884. RiippelTs 
griffin, an Abyssinian vulture, Gups rueppelli. 
griffinage (grif'in-aj), n. Same as griffmism, 2. 
griffinisn (grif 'in-is'h), a. [< griffin + -isftl.] 1. 
Griffin-like; watchful; vigilant; prying: as, a 
griffinish duenna. 
Not having knelt in Palestine, I feel 
None of that griffinuh excess of zeal 
Some travellers would blaze with here in France. 
Hood, To Rae Wilson. 
2. In India, like or characteristic of a griffin 
or new-comer. 
Next to my griftninh wonder at the want of white faces 
has been my regret to perceive the utter absence of any 
friendly relations between the white and the black faces. 
W. H. Russell, Diary in India, I. 189. 
griftinism (grif'in-izm), n. [< griffin + -ism.} 
1. Jealous watchfulness or care, like that of 
the griffin : as, the griffinism of a London dow- 
ager. 2. In India and the East, the state or 
character of a griffin or new-comer ; greenness 
or inexperience. Also griffinage. 
griffin-male (grifm-mal'), n. In her., a griffin 
without wings and having large ears. 
griffin-vulture (grif'in-vul"tur), n. A vulture 
of the genus Gyps, of which there are several 
species, the best-known being G. fulvus. 
Griffith's mixture. See mixture. 
griffon 1 (grifon), n. Same as griffin. 
Griffon 2 !, ["ME., also Gryffon, Griffoun, Gryf- 
foun; < OF. griffon, grifon (= Pr. grifo), a name 
given to the Byzantine Greeks and to the peo- 
ple of the East; appar. an opprobrious use of 
griffon, grifon, a griffin, perhaps suggested by 
some of the numerous forms for 'Greek.'] A 
Greek. 
The Gry/ouns than gayli gonne stint atte cherche. 
William of Palerne (E. E. T. S.X 1. 1961. 
grig 1 (grig), n. [Appar. a var. of "crick (= D. 
kriek, a cricket, = Sw. krak, krik, a little crea- 
ture, esp. a crawling creature, < kraka, creep), 
the appar. base of cricket: see cricket 1 .'] 1. 
A cricket; a grasshopper. 
The dry 
High-elbow'd grigs that leap in summer grass. 
Tennyson, The Brook. 
2. The sand-eel; a small and very lively eel. 
3. A short-legged hen. [Prov. Eng.] 4. One 
of a class of vagabond dancers and tumblers. 
Brewer. [Showmen's cant.] As merry as a grig, 
a proverb equivalent to as merry as a cricket : also in use, 
different from but partly confused with another proverb 
(apparently somewhat older), ag merry as a Greek ; so a 
merry grig as compared with a merry Greek. See merry 
Greek, under Greek. 
They drank till they all were as merry as grigs. 
Poor Robin (1764). 
grig 2 (grig), n. [< Corn, grig = W. grug, heath.] 
Heath. Also griglan. [Prov. Eng.] 
Some great mosses in Lancashire . . . that for the pres- 
ent yield little or no profit, save some grig or heath for 
sheep. Aubrey. 
grignet (grig'net), n. [Cf. OF. "perdrix gri- 
gnette, the ordiuary*partridge " (Cotgrave).] A 
book-name of sundry parine birds of Africa of 
the genus Parisoma : as, the rufous-vented grig- 
net, P. subcceruleum. 
gri-gri 1 , n. Same as gru-gru. 
gri-gri 2 , gree-gree (gre'gre), n. [African.] A 
charm or amulet ; a fetish. 
Seeing that the native Africans likewise had their cher- 
ished amulets (their gri-gris\ deemed by them sacred and 
magically powerful, the Portuguese called these by the 
same name of fetich. Keary, Prim. Belief, p. 32. 
That is an African amulet that hangs about his neck 
a greegree. G. W. Cable, The Century, XXXI. 623. 
grill 1 (gril), v. [Sc. also transposed girl; < ME. 
grillcn, yryllen, grullen, tr. anger, provoke, intr. 
grille 
tremble, < AS. grillan, yriellan, tr., provoke, = 
D. grillen, shiver, = MLG. grellen, LG. rer-grel- 
len, anger, provoke, = MHG. grellen, be harsh, 
cry angrily. Cf. grilli, a.] I.t trans. 1. To 
make angry; provoke. 
Thy bydding, Lord, I shall fulfill, 
And never more the greeve ne grill. 
Chester Play, in Marriott's Mir. Plays, p. 4. 
If you love a wenche wel, eyther loude and stille, 
Bestir wel, but yef hir noute ; grant hir al hir welle ; 
By thou noht so hardy hir onis to grille. 
MS. Arund. Coll. Ann., 27, f. 130. (Halliwell.) 
2. To terrify ; cause to tremble. Worcester. 
II. intrans. 1. To tremble; shiver. [Now 
only Scotch.] 
And lete also the belles knylle 
To make her hortes [their hearts] the more grylle. 
Myrc, Instructions, 1. 777. 
2. To snarl; snap. [Prov. Eng.] 
grillit (gril), a. [ME. gril, gryl, grill, grille, 
grylle, harsh, rough, severe, = MHG. grel, G. 
grell, harsh, angry, = Dan. grel, shrill (of sound), 
glaring, dazzling (of light) ; from the verb: see 
grill 1 , .] Harsh; rough; severe; cruel. 
Wordes . . . gret and grille. 
Amis and Amiloun, 1. 1273 (Weber's Metr. Rom., II. 365). 
Prey to Crist with blody syde, 
And other woundes grile and wyde, 
That he forjeve the thl pryde. 
Reliqute Antiques, II. 166. 
Thei han suffrid cold so strong 
In wedres gryl and derk to sighte. 
Rom. of the Rote, 1. 73. 
grill 1 !, . [ME. grille, gryll, grylle; < grilft, a. ] 
Harm. 
Lady, he ys to us foo, 
Therefore yrede that we hym sloo, 
He hath done us grete grylle. 
Erie of Tolous (Rjtson's Metr. Rom., III.). 
grill 2 (gril), . [< F. gril, < OF. gre'il, grail, a 
gridiron, a masc. form corresponding to F. grille, 
OF.graille, graille, f ., a grate, grating, < L. crati- 
cula, f., a gridiron, dim. of cratin, a hurdle, wick- 
erwork: see griddle(a, doublet of grill'*), gridiron, 
grate 2 , crate, and hurdle.'] A grated utensil for 
broiling meat, etc., over a fire; a gridiron. 
They have wood so hard that they cleave it Into swords, 
and make grills of it to broil their meat. 
Cotton, tr. of Montaigne, xxiv. 
grill 2 (gril), v. [= Dan. grillere = Sw. griljera, 
< F. griller, broil on a gridiron, scorch, < gril, a, 
gridiron: seegrilfi, n. Cf.gritly.'] I. trans. To 
broil on or as on a grill or gridiron. 
And he sent the drumsticks down to be grill'd. 
Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, I. 249. 
How much better than feeding foul Indians it was to 
belong to me, who would . . . grill him [a salmon] deli- 
cately, and eat him daintily ! 
T. Winthrop, Canoe and Saddle, v. 
The time has been when Joseph Bagstock has been grilled 
and blistered by the sun. Dickens, Dombey and Son. 
II. intrans. To undergo broiling; be in a 
broil. 
Albany had made his keepers drunk with the liquor, 
had dirked them, and thrown their mail-clad bodies to 
grill on the fire. The Century, XXVII. SSO. 
For a moment it seemed probable that the baronet 
would give vent to the spleen which was doubtless grill- 
ing within him. J. Hawthorne, Dust, p. 130. 
The landlady began to derange the pots upon the stove 
and set some beef-steak to grill. 
R. L. Stevenson, Inland Voyage, p. 71. 
grillade (gri-lad'), . [< F. grillade, < griller, 
grill: see grill?, ji.] 1. The act of grilling. 
2. That which is broiled on a grill or gridiron. 
grillage (gril'aj), . [< F. grillage, wirework. 
grating, frame, also broiling, < gril, a gridiron, 
grille, a grating, griller, grill : see grilfi, .] 1 . In 
engin., a framework composed of heavy beams 
laid longitudinally and crossed at right angles 
by similar beams notched upon them, used to 
sustain a foundation and prevent it from set- 
tling unevenly in soil of unequal compressibil- 
ity. The grillage is firmly bedded, and the earth packed 
into the interstices between the beams ; a flooring of thick 
planks, called a platform, is then laid on it, and on this 
the foundation courses rest. 
2. In lace, a background of separate bars or 
brides, not wo- 
ven together in- 
to a texture. 
grille (gril), H. 
[<.F. grille, grat- 
ing: see gril ft, 
n.j 1. A piece 
of openwork or 
grating, usual- 
ly of metal, 
as wrought- 
iron. Specifically 
(0) When Oma- Grille. San Giacumo di Rialto, Venice. 
