grief |grēf|noundeep sorrow, esp. that caused by someone's death : she was overcome with grief.• informal trouble or annoyance : they won't give you any grief in the next few days.PHRASEScome to grief have an accident; meet with disaster : many a ship has come to grief along this shore.good grief! an exclamation of irritation, frustration, or surprise.ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French grief, from grever ‘to burden’ (see grieve ).