30 uses
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Definition
very serious; or very bad; or causing grief
- 'So spake he, but my spirit within me was broken, for that he bade me again to go to Aegyptus over the misty deep, a long and grievous way.Book 4 (58% in)
- First, I have lost my noble sire, who sometime was king among you here, and was gentle as a father; and now is there an evil yet greater far, which surely shall soon make grievous havoc of my whole house and ruin all my livelihood.Book 2 (12% in)
- Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said: 'Menelaus, son of Atreus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the host, all the more grievous it is! for in no way did this courage ward from him pitiful destruction, not though his heart within him had been very iron.Book 4 (35% in)
- Yea, and he will show thee, O fosterling of Zeus, if thou wilt, what good thing and what evil hath been wrought in thy halls, whilst thou has been faring this long and grievous way.Book 4 (47% in)
- But the wooers devise another far greater and more grievous, which I pray the son of Cronos may never fulfil!Book 4 (83% in)
- While yet he pondered these things in his heart and soul, Poseidon, shaker of the earth, stirred against him a great wave, terrible and grievous, and vaulted from the crest, and therewith smote him.Book 5 (75% in)
- Yea, and when I looked thereupon, long time I marvelled in spirit,—for never grew there yet so goodly a shoot from ground,—even in such wise as I wonder at thee, lady, and am astonied and do greatly fear to touch thy knees, though grievous sorrow is upon me.Book 6 (52% in)
- I am not all unversed in sports, as thy words go, but methinks I was among the foremost while as yet I trusted in my youth and my hands, but now am I holden in misery and pains: for I have endured much in passing through the wars of men and the grievous waves of the sea.Book 8 (32% in)
- Therewith he puts into his hands the hanger dight with silver, and uttering his voice spake to him winged words: 'Hail, stranger and father; and if aught grievous hath been spoken, may the storm-winds soon snatch and bear it away.Book 8 (69% in)
- It was there, he said, that Odysseus adventured the most grievous battle, and in the end prevailed, by grace of great-hearted Athene.Book 8 (89% in)
- But now thy heart was inclined to ask of my grievous troubles, that I may mourn for more exceeding sorrow.Book 9 (2% in)
- And he bore a grievous weight of dry wood, against supper time.Book 9 (41% in)
- And the spirit of the men was spent beneath the grievous rowing by reason of our vain endeavour, for there was no more any sign of a wafting wind.Book 10 (15% in)
- Nay come, eat ye meat and drink wine, till your spirit shall return to you again, as it was when first ye left your own country of rugged Ithaca; but now are ye wasted and wanting heart, mindful evermore of your sore wandering, nor has your heart ever been merry, for very grievous hath been your trial.Book 10 (82% in)
- Grievous is the sight of these things to the living, for between us and you are great rivers and dreadful streams; first, Oceanus, which can no wise be crossed on foot, but only if one have a well wrought ship.Book 11 (24% in)
- And none but the noble seer{*} took in hand to drive them; but a grievous fate from the gods fettered him, even hard bonds and the herdsmen of the wild.Book 11 (45% in)
- 'Moreover I beheld Tantalus in grievous torment, standing in a mere and the water came nigh unto his chin.Book 11 (91% in)
- Nay come, eat ye meat and drink wine here all day long; and with the breaking of the day ye shall set sail, and myself I will show you the path and declare each thing, that ye may not suffer pain or hurt through any grievous ill-contrivance by sea or on the land.Book 12 (7% in)
- As for her, she is no mortal, but an immortal plague, dread, grievous, and fierce, and not to be fought with; and against her there is no defence; flight is the bravest way.Book 12 (26% in)
- Even thus she lightly sped and cleft the waves of the sea, bearing a man whose counsel was as the counsel of the gods, one that erewhile had suffered much sorrow of heart, in passing through the wars of men, and the grievous waves; but for that time he slept in peace, forgetful of all that he had suffered.Book 13 (21% in)
- Now he would have despoiled me of all that booty of Troy, for the which I had endured pain of heart, in passing through the wars of men, and the grievous waves of the sea, for this cause that I would not do a favour to his father, and make me his squire in the land of the Trojans, but commanded other fellowship of mine own.Book 13 (60% in)
- Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'All the more grievous it is! yet will we let him be, though we sorrow thereat.Book 16 (31% in)
- So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, then Telemachus, the dear son of divine Odysseus, bound beneath his feet his goodly sandals, and took up his mighty spear that fitted his grasp, to make for the city; and he spake to his swineherd, saying: 'Verily, father, I am bound for the city, that my mother may see me, for methinks that she will not cease from grievous wailing and tearful lament, until she beholds my very face.Book 17 (1% in)
- But if the stranger be sore angered hereat, the more grievous will it be for himself; howbeit I for one love to speak the truth.'Book 17 (2% in)
- ...to the city; and the swineherd, a master of men, spake first saying: 'Well, my friend, forasmuch as I see thou art eager to be going to the city to-day, even as my master gave command;— though myself I would well that thou shouldest be left here to keep the steading, but I hold him in reverence and fear, lest he chide me afterwards, and grievous are the rebukes of masters—come then, let us go on our way, for lo, the day is far spent, and soon wilt thou find it colder toward evening.'Book 17 (30% in)
- Four thou knewest right well, in that thou hadst heard it from my lips, how that I was minded to ask the stranger in my halls for tidings of my lord; for I am grievously afflicted.'Book 19 (17% in)
- But this is more grievous still, to abide here in affliction watching over the herds of other men.Book 20 (56% in)
- But Antinous rebuked him, and spake and hailed him: 'Leiodes, what word hath escaped the door of thy lips; a hard word, and a grievous?Book 21 (40% in)
- Then Odysseus of many counsels answered saying: 'Verily, I and Telemachus will keep the proud wooers within the halls, for all their fury, but do ye twain tie his feet and arms behind his back and cast him into the chamber, and close the doors after you,{*} and make fast to his body a twisted rope, and drag him up the lofty pillar till he be near the roof beams, that he may hang there and live for long, and suffer grievous torment.'Book 22 (36% in)
- Then how he came to Aeolus, who received him gladly and sent him on his way; but it was not yet ordained that he should reach his own country, for the storm-wind seized him again, and bare him over the teeming seas, making grievous moan.Book 23 (85% in)
There are no more uses of "grievous" in The Odyssey by Homer (translated by: Butcher & Lang).
Typical Usage
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