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Greet vs Embrace - What's the difference?

greet | embrace |

As verbs the difference between greet and embrace

is that greet is to address with salutations or expressions of kind wishes; to salute; to hail; to welcome; to accost with friendship; to pay respects or compliments to, either personally or through the intervention of another, or by writing or token or greet can be (scotland|northern england) to weep; to cry while embrace is to clasp in the arms with affection; to take in the arms; to hug.

As nouns the difference between greet and embrace

is that greet is mourning, weeping, lamentation while embrace is hug (noun); putting arms around someone.

As an adjective greet

is (obsolete|outside|scotland) great.

greet

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) . Compare Old Saxon grotian, Old Frisian greta, Old High German gruozen.

Verb

(en verb)
  • To address with salutations or expressions of kind wishes; to salute; to hail; to welcome; to accost with friendship; to pay respects or compliments to, either personally or through the intervention of another, or by writing or token.
  • * 1591 , (William Shakespeare), , Act III, scene 1
  • My lord, the mayor of London comes to greet you.
  • * 1900 , , The House Behind the Cedars , Chapter I,
  • Warwick observed, as they passed through the respectable quarter, that few people who met the girl greeted her, and that some others whom she passed at gates or doorways gave her no sign of recognition; from which he inferred that she was possibly a visitor in the town and not well acquainted.
  • To come upon, or meet, as with something that makes the heart glad.
  • * '1707, (Joseph Addison), ''Rosamond , Act I, scene 4
  • In vain the spring my senses greets .
  • To accost; to address.
  • (Alexander Pope)
  • To meet and give salutations.
  • * circa 1590 , (William Shakespeare), (Titus Adronicus), Act I, scene 2, line 90
  • There greet in silence, as the dead are wont, And sleep in peace.
  • To be perceived by (somebody).
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=52, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= The new masters and commanders , passage=From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much. Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. For mariners leaving the port after lonely nights on the high seas, the delights of the B52 Night Club and Stallion Pub lie a stumble away.}}
    Derived terms
    * greeter * meet-and-greet

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (m), .

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete, outside, Scotland) Great.
  • Etymology 3

    From a blend of two (etyl) verbs, (of uncertain ultimate origin), both ‘weep, lament’.

    Verb

  • (Scotland, Northern England) To weep; to cry.
  • *1933 , (Lewis Grassic Gibbon), Cloud Howe'', Polygon 2006 (''A Scots Quair ), page 312:
  • *:And damn't! if he didn't take down her bit things and scone her so sore she grat like a bairn [...].
  • * 2008 , (James Kelman), Kieron Smith, Boy , Penguin 2009, page 2:
  • My maw went potty and started greeting .

    Noun

    (-)
  • Mourning, weeping, lamentation.
  • References

    * * *

    embrace

    English

    Alternative forms

    * imbrace (obsolete)

    Verb

    (embrac)
  • To clasp in the arms with affection; to take in the arms; to hug.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I will embrace him with a soldier's arm, / That he shall shrink under my courtesy.
  • * Bible, Acts xx. 1
  • Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them.
  • (obsolete) To cling to; to cherish; to love.
  • (Shakespeare)
  • To seize eagerly, or with alacrity; to accept with cordiality; to welcome.
  • I wholeheartedly embrace the new legislation.
  • * Shakespeare
  • You embrace the occasion.
  • * John Locke
  • What is there that he may not embrace for truth?
  • To accept; to undergo; to submit to.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I embrace this fortune patiently.
  • To encircle; to encompass; to enclose.
  • * Dryden
  • Not that my song, in such a scanty space, / So large a subject fully can embrace .
  • * Denham
  • Low at his feet a spacious plain is placed, / Between the mountain and the stream embraced .
  • To enfold, to include (ideas, principles, etc.); to encompass.
  • Natural philosophy embraces many sciences.
  • To fasten on, as armour.
  • (Spenser)
  • (legal) To attempt to influence (a jury, court, etc.) corruptly.
  • (Blackstone)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Hug (noun); putting arms around someone.
  • *
  • *:a delighted shout from the children swung him toward the door again. His sister, Mrs. Gerard, stood there in carriage gown and sables, radiant with surprise. ¶ "Phil!  You!   Exactly like you, Philip, to come strolling in from the antipodes—dear fellow!" recovering from the fraternal embrace and holding both lapels of his coat in her gloved hands.
  • (metaphorical) Enfolding, including.