greet1
/ɡriːt
/verb [with object]
1Give a polite word of recognition or sign of welcome when meeting (someone): some of the customers greeted the barman in Gaelic...
- In the village street, many people stopped to greet me and welcome my brother and his wife.
- Smiling customs and immigration officers were pleasant and greeted us with welcoming gestures.
- Walking upstairs, he met a couple of neighbours, who greeted him in a polite way.
Synonyms
say hello to, address, salute, hail, halloo;
nod to, wave to, raise one's hat to, tip one's hat to, acknowledge the presence of
welcome, meet, receive;
show in, usher in, admit, accept, let in
1.1 [with object and adverbial] Receive or acknowledge (something) in a specified way: everyone greeted this idea warmly...
- His resignation was greeted with joy in some quarters at the university.
- His article was greeted with outrage by the scientific establishment.
- The decision was greeted with enthusiasm and gratitude by their many stateside fans.
Synonyms
receive, acknowledge, respond to, react to, take;
hear, listen to
1.2(Especially of a sight or sound) become apparent to (a person arriving somewhere): Sam threw open the door and was greeted by a cacophony of noise...
- The crew was greeted by the sight of smoke pouring through the thatch and through the windows at the back of the pub they could see flames in one of the upstairs rooms.
- As Sophia and Rachele approached the camp once again, they were greeted by the sounds of a peculiar sort of argument.
- In the morning a different sound greets my ears - Cherie, our cook, has come in to prepare breakfast.
Origin
Old English grētan 'approach, attack, or salute', of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch groeten and German grüssen 'greet'.
Rhymes
greet2
/ɡriːt/verb [no object] Scottish
Weep; cry: he sat down on the armchair and started to greet...
- Four years ago, a moment of improvised brilliance - he still claims that he meant it - was enough to send Sven's men home greeting.
- But they can also make me greet in a manner suggesting I wish I'd been born a million miles from any misty glen.
- You were a smiler but that's not to say you couldn't greet as well!
Origin
Old English, partly from grētan 'cry out, rage', partly from grēotan 'lament', both of Germanic origin.