greet¹ / grēt/ • v. [tr.] give a polite word or sign of welcome or recognition to (someone) on meeting. ∎  [tr.] receive or acknowledge (something) in a specified way: everyone present greeted this idea warmly. ∎  (of a sight or sound) become apparent to or be noticed by (someone) on arrival somewhere: flowers and cheers greeted the shipyard workers.greet² • v. [intr.] Scot. weep; cry: he sat down on the armchair and started to greet.

greet1 address, salute, esp. with expressions of goodwill OE.; receive with welcome XVII. OE. grētan, *grǣtan handle, touch, visit, attack, treat, salute = OS. grōtian call upon (Du. groeten salute), OHG. gruozzen address, attack (G. grüssen salute) :- WGmc. *ʒrōtjan cry out, call upon, (hence) provoke to action, assail, address; perh. based on IE. *ghrōd- *ghrēd- resound, repr. by Skr. hrād-. Some take this vb. and the next to have a common basis.

greet2 (Sc.) weep. (i) OE. (Anglian) grētan, *grǣtan (prob. str., but once wk. pt. begrette) = OS. grātan str., MHG. grazen (wk.) cry out, range, storm. ON. gráta (str.), Goth. grētan (str.) :- Gmc. *ʒrǣtan; cf. prec.; (ii) OE. grēotan ( = OS. griotan), of uncert. orig.