screeve

1 of 3

intransitive verb

ˈskrēv
dialectal, British
: to exude moisture : ooze, leak

screeve

2 of 3

noun

"
plural -s
chiefly British
: a piece of writing
especially : a begging letter

screeve

3 of 3

verb

"
-ed/-ing/-s

transitive verb

chiefly British : to write (as a letter) in order to beg

intransitive verb

chiefly British : to draw pictures on a sidewalk in order to attract passersby and obtain charity

Word History

Etymology

Intransitive verb

Middle English scryven, from Middle French escrever (3d singular present, escrive, escrieve), literally, to burst open, from Old French, from es- (from Latin ex-) + crever to burst, from Latin crepare to crack

Noun

probably from Italian scrivere to write, from Latin scribere

Verb

probably from Italian scrivere to write

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near screeve

Cite this Entry

“Screeve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/screeve. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!