The word "money-grubbing" is a derivative of the Old Slavonic "money-grubbing", meaning "acquisition", "possession", "collecting something." And also related are the noun "money-grubber" and the verb "garnish". These words are often found in scripture; they can be heard when reading in the church during services.
Moreover, the studied term has two sides - both positive and negative. Everything will depend on what kind of values a person gains, whether the treasures he collects are pleasing to God. Details that this is “money-grubbing”, “money-grubbing” and “money-grubbing” will be considered in the proposed review.
What is said in the dictionary?
When explaining the meaning of “money-grubbing”, the dictionary, as a rule, emphasizes its disapproving tone. It is interpreted as:
- actions, behavior of a person called a money-grubber;
- accumulation of property, money with greed;
- Passion for acquiring money, gaining wealth.
Example:
The best among Russian officers and generals perfectly understood the whole significance of the events that took place, they severely reproached those who promoted their personal affairs, damaging military service, and thereby stained military honor with greed and money-grubbing.
In the next section, we consider the meaning of the word and its derivatives in more detail.
Who is a money-grubber?
Who was that called? In order to better understand that this is money-grubbing, it will be advisable to get acquainted with who the money-grubber is, to which there is a link in the definition of the word being studied. The dictionary provides two interpretations.
- The first is marked "obsolete" and characterizes the money-grubber as the one who gains, achieves something. The word is found in ancient literature. Example: Sri Aurobindo’s book “Secrets of the Veda” speaks of the gods of pleasure, money-grubbers who are healers, restore youth to old people, sick - health, restore the crippled. As can be seen from the wording and from the example, no negative context is observed in this case.
- The second option has a note “book”, and he speaks of a person who seeks profit, the accumulation of money, material wealth, engaged in acquiring, acquiring. A pronounced negative character of interpretation is already observed here. Example: Why are the sobering and crafty rulers, the cunning and clever apostates, the rich and greedy money-grubbers, mocking us, mocking our beliefs and taking advantage of our naivety, seizing power, consuming wealth? They take away houses, lands and factories from the people, doom them to miserable slave stagnation.
As etymologists say, the noun "money-grubber" comes from the word "money-grubber". This is quite logical. And here is the last - from the verb “to acquire”, formed from the Proto-Slavic s-tęžati, associated with “traction” and “heavy”. So the origin of the word is traced. In this regard, it seems appropriate to better understand that it is money-grubbing, to consider the interpretation of the verb "to gnaw".
The meaning of the verb
It is given in the dictionary in three versions:
- Book, outdated - to make money, acquire property, money, showing self-interest. Example: For such a person, it’s kindly expensive to steal, acquire, offend, rob, hurt, take away someone else’s.
- High style - to achieve their activities, to achieve something, to earn, for example, respect, fame. Example: N. A. Berdyaev in The Meaning of Creativity noted that a person with the help of religious and moral perfection atones for his sin and, joining in atonement, acquires eternal life.
- Bring someone, give respect, fame. Example: About Empress Elizabeth N.E. Heinz wrote that she was able to preserve on the throne that simplicity of Peter, that love for her homeland, which acquired the name of "mother" from her people.
Conclusion
Thus, the word under study can be interpreted in different ways - both positively and negatively. It may also be the acquisition of material wealth, taken from the neighbor, fame, respect. Also, the word is applicable in religious topics. This may be the covetousness of the Holy Spirit, that is, the Grace of God, his mercy.