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n the earth; to lie fiat on one's belly, expressive of abjectness; to crawl. To creep and grovel on the ground. Dryden.

One who grovels; an abject wretch. [Written also groveller.]

Lying prone; low; debased. [Written also grovelling.] "A groveling creature." Cowper.

Sunk to a law condition; down in spirit or hope; degraded; servile; groveling; despicable; as, abject posture, fortune, thoughts. "Base and abject flatterers." Addison. "An abject liar." Macaulay. And banish hence these abject, lowly dreams. Shak.

Sordid; base; groveling; as, a dirty fellow. The creature's at his dirty work again. Pope.

o a lower condition; toward misery, humility, disgrace, or ruin. And downward fell into a groveling swine. Milton.

Low; grovelling; vulgar.

To lie prostrate on the belly; to sprawl on the ground; to grovel. Ainsworth.

Of a mean spirit; base; groveling. -- Mean"-spir`it*ed*ness, n.

ody extended on the ground or other surface; stretched out; as, to sleep prostrate Elyot. Groveling and prostrate on yon lake of fire. Milton.

Hence: Groveling; low; vulgar; as, a reptile race or crew; reptile vices. There is also a false, reptile prudence, the result not of caution, but of fear. Burke. And dislodge their reptile souls From the bodies and forms of men. Coleridge.

Hence, to seek for favor or advancement by low arts or groveling servility; to fawn servilely.

Like or pertaining to a worm; earthy; groveling.