DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 Grave, a. [Compar. Graver superl. Gravest.]
 1. Of great weight; heavy; ponderous. [Obs.]
    His shield grave and great.   --Chapman.
 2. Of importance; momentous; weighty; influential; sedate; serious; -- said of character, relations, etc.; as, grave deportment, character, influence, etc.
    Most potent, grave, and reverend seigniors.   --Shak.
    A grave and prudent law, full of moral equity.   --Milton.
 3. Not light or gay; solemn; sober; plain; as, a grave color; a grave face.
 4. Mus. (a) Not acute or sharp; low; deep; -- said of sound; as, a grave note or key.
    The thicker the cord or string, the more grave is the note or tone.   --Moore (Encyc. of Music).
 (b) Slow and solemn in movement.
 Grave accent. Pron. See the Note under Accent, n., 2.
 Syn: -- Solemn; sober; serious; sage; staid; demure; thoughtful; sedate; weighty; momentous; important.
 Usage: --  Grave, Sober, Serious, Solemn. Sober supposes the absence of all exhilaration of spirits, and is opposed to gay or flighty; as, sober thought. Serious implies considerateness or reflection, and is opposed to jocose or sportive; as, serious and important concerns. Grave denotes a state of mind, appearance, etc., which results from the pressure of weighty interests, and is opposed to hilarity of feeling or vivacity of manner; as, a qrave remark; qrave attire. Solemn is applied to a case in which gravity is carried to its highest point; as, a solemn admonition; a solemn promise.

 grave accent
      n : a mark (`) placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation
          [syn: grave]