Old English gretan "to come in contact with" in any sense ("attack, accost" as well as "salute, welcome," and "touch, take hold of, handle," as in hearpan gretan "to play the harp"), "seek out, approach," from West Germanic *grotjan (cognates: Old Saxon grotian, Old Frisian greta, Dutch groeten, Old High German gruozen, German grüßen "to salute, greet"), of uncertain origin.
In English, German, and Dutch, the primary sense has become "to salute," but the word once had much broader meaning. Perhaps originally "to resound" (via notion of "cause to speak"), causative of Proto-Germanic *grætanan, root of Old English grætan (Anglian gretan) "weep, bewail," from PIE *gher- (2) "to call out." Greet still can mean "cry, weep" in Scottish & northern England dialect, though this might be from a different root. Grætan probably also is the source of the second element in regret. Related: Greeted; greeting.
实用例句
1. He looked at Livy and Mark, who had risen to greet him.
他看着站起来跟他打招呼的莉薇和马克。
来自柯林斯例句
2. They hastened to greet him and asked urgently, "Did you find it?"
他们赶忙去迎他，急切地问，“找到了吗？”
来自柯林斯例句
3. An unerringly professional team greet and treat clients.
完美的职业团队迎接并善待客户。
来自柯林斯例句
4. On all sides , verdant sunset - bathed hills greet the eye.
满目青山夕照明.
来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
5. The child is shy and doesn't like to greet people.
