grovel to sb
to 后接讨好的对象，表示向某人低三下四。
He is always groveling to his boss.
他总是对老板卑躬屈膝。
奴颜婢膝；谄媚讨好
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
奴颜婢膝；谄媚讨好
behave in a servile or obsequious manner, as if seeking favor
现在进行时
He is groveling to the manager for a promotion.
他正为了升职向经理卑躬屈膝。
一般现在时
She grovels whenever the boss walks in.
老板一走进来，她就谄媚讨好。
一般过去时
The dog groveled before its owner.
那只狗趴在主人面前。
规则动词；美式拼写为 groveling/groveled，英式拼写为 grovelling/grovelled。
The waiter kept groveling to the angry customer, hoping to avoid a complaint.
服务员一直低声下气地讨好愤怒的顾客，希望避免被投诉。
用法提示：groveling 是现在分词，跟在 kept 后表示持续地卑躬屈膝。
Groveling in front of the committee only made the situation worse.
在委员会面前卑躬屈膝只会让情况更糟。
用法提示：groveling 在此作动名词，作句子的主语，指‘卑躬屈膝’这种行为。
She is groveling for forgiveness after forgetting her friend's birthday.
她忘了朋友的生日，正在低声下气地请求原谅。
用法提示：groveling 是现在分词，与 is 构成现在进行时，表示‘正在低声下气地求饶’。
to 后接讨好的对象，表示向某人低三下四。
He is always groveling to his boss.
他总是对老板卑躬屈膝。
for 后接所乞求的事物，强调为得到某物而谄媚。
She was groveling for another chance.
她低声下气地乞求再给一次机会。
before 强调在某人面前表现卑微或行匍匐礼。
The courtiers were groveling before the emperor.
朝臣们在皇帝面前匍匐跪拜。
用于字面义，指身体趴伏在地面上。
He was groveling on the floor in fear.
他吓得趴伏在地上。
grammar · medium
易错句子He groveled his boss for a raise.
正确表达He groveled to his boss for a raise.
grovel 是不及物动词，后面不能直接跟宾语；表示“向某人卑躬屈膝”要用 grovel to sb（或 grovel before sb），所以要补上介词 to。
grammar · medium
易错句子He groveling before the manager yesterday.
正确表达He groveled before the manager yesterday.
句子缺少谓语：-ing 形式不能单独作谓语，须与 be 动词连用构成进行时；这里说的是昨天发生的事，应用一般过去时 groveled。
grammar · medium
易错句子The company made the staff groveling for their jobs.
正确表达The company made the staff grovel for their jobs.
使役动词 make 后接不带 to 的不定式作宾语补足语，即 make sb do sth，不能用 -ing 形式，故改为 grovel。
fawn 侧重用夸张的赞美或亲昵举动讨好，常带虚伪、令人反感的意味；groveling 更强调自贬身份、低声下气地乞求好感，屈辱感更重。
cringe 强调因害怕、尴尬而退缩，或露出畏怯讨好的姿态；groveling 强调主动趴低、自贬以博取欢心，目的性更强。
cower 指因恐惧而蜷缩躲闪，通常没有讨好他人的目的；groveling 的趴伏义虽也含恐惧或谦卑，但常带有向对方示弱求饶、讨好的意味。
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