grateful: [16] Grateful is a curious sort of adjective. The grate that a grateful person is full of is a now obsolete adjective, meaning ‘pleasing’ and ‘thankful’, which was derived from Latin grātus. It is unusual for adjectives ending in -ful themselves to be formed from adjectives, rather than from nouns, and it has been suggested in this case that the related Italian gradevole ‘pleasing’ may have had some influence.
Latin grātus itself meant ‘pleasing’ as well as ‘thankful’, and has also given English congratulate [16], gratify [16], gratitude [16], and gratuity [16], and, via the derived noun grātia, grace and gratis [15]. => congratulate, grace, gratis, gratitude
grateful (adj.)
1550s, "pleasing to the mind," also "full of gratitude, disposed to repay favors bestowed," from obsolete adjective grate "agreeable, pleasant," from Latin gratus "pleasing" (see grace (n.)). "A most unusual formation" [Weekley]. Is there another case where English uses -ful to make an adjective from an adjective? Related: Gratefully (1540s); gratefulness.
Grateful often expresses the feeling and the readiness to manifest the feeling by acts, even a long time after the rendering of the favor; thankful refers rather to the immediate acknowledgment of the favor by words. [Century Dictionary]
实用例句
1. Instead of complaining about what's wrong, be grateful for what's right.
别抱怨不好的事，要对好的事心存感恩。
来自金山词霸 每日一句
2. We are grateful to you for permission to reproduce this article.
非常感谢您允许我们复印这篇文章。
来自柯林斯例句
3. He was grateful for a chance to relax and collect his thoughts.
他很庆幸有机会放松放松，整理一下自己的思绪。
来自柯林斯例句
4. I will always feel grateful to that little guy.
我会永远感激那个小伙子。
来自柯林斯例句
5. She is eternally grateful to her family for their support.
