Both Uses of
grovel
in
Tom Jones, by Henry Fielding
- You are the first—yes, Miss Western, you are the first of your name who ever entertained so grovelling a thought.†
Book 6 *grovelling = showing submission or fearunconventional spelling: This is a British spelling. Americans use groveling.
- I am sorry, niece, you force me to use these words, but I cannot bear your groveling temper; you have none of the blood of the Westerns in you.†
Book 17groveling = showing submission or fear
Definition:
to show submission or fear -- sometimes by crawling or lying face down