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

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