grub street \ˈgrəb-\noun Usage: usually capitalized G&S Etymology: after Grub Street (now Milton Street), London, formerly inhabited by literary hacks : the world or category of usually mediocre, needy, and disdained writers who write for hire : the world of literary hacks < Grub Street compilers — H.R.Warfel > < the translator … knows he'll always live on Grub Street — Richard Winston >