grub

 
Pronunciation: /grʌb/

noun

  • 1the larva of an insect, especially a beetle: my onions are ruined by small grubs eating the roots
  • a maggot or small caterpillar.
  • 2 [mass noun] informal food: a popular bar serving excellent pub grub

verb (grubs, grubbing, grubbed)

[no object, with adverbial]
  • 1dig or poke about in soil: the damage done to pastures by badgers grubbing for worms
  • [with object] (grub something up/out) remove something from the earth by digging it up: many miles of hedgerows were grubbed up
  • 2search in a clumsy and unmethodical manner: I began grubbing about in the waste-paper basket to find the envelope
  • 3work hard, especially at a dull or demeaning task: she has achieved independence without having to grub for it
  • [with object] achieve or acquire (something) by doing demeaning work: they were grubbing a living from garbage pails

Origin:

Middle English: perhaps related to Dutch grobbelen, also to grave1