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gravy

American  
[gray-vee] / ˈgreɪ vi /

noun

  • gravies
    plural
  1. the fat and juices that drip from cooking meat, often thickened, seasoned, flavored, etc., and used as a sauce for meat, potatoes, rice, etc.

  2. Slang.

    1. profit or money easily obtained or received unexpectedly.

    2. money illegally or dishonestly acquired, especially through graft.

  3. something advantageous or valuable that is received or obtained as a benefit beyond what is due or expected.


gravy British  
/ ˈɡreɪvɪ /

noun

    1. the juices that exude from meat during cooking

    2. the sauce made by thickening and flavouring such juices

  1. slang money or gain acquired with little effort, esp above that needed for ordinary living

  2. slang wonderful; excellent

    it's all gravy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of gravy

1350–1400; 1905–10 gravy for def. 2; Middle English gravé, gravey < Old French gravé, perhaps misreading of grané (compare grain spice) < Latin granātus full of grains. See grain, -ate 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Buffet lines pair high-cost shrimp with more affordable hush puppies and french fries, or meatloaf with potatoes, gravy and green beans.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

It’s complete with a mashed potato “volcano” that’s oozing with gravy lava, along with dino nugget inhabitants and steamed broccoli for trees.

From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026

She is unsubtly telling Maine voters that this gravy train has only just left the station.

From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026

Dominion has been riding the gravy train for years, but its shareholders haven’t gotten any gravy.

From Barron's ● May 19, 2026

Mrs. Platt gave us a breakfast of biscuits and gravy.

From "My Brother Sam is Dead" by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

It’s a rich taste, common in soups, gravies, cheeses, and soy sauce.

From NewsForKids.net ● May 16, 2024

The 4-acre facility, which can produce up to 25 tons of chowders, soups and gravies a day, seven days a week, has seen a recent leveling-off in shipping costs for some ingredients.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 9, 2022

But wait, what about the gravy — how long do dairy-based gravies last?

From Salon ● Nov. 24, 2021

With many eventually buried in unnamed gravies across a number of secret cemeteries, the rights group says they have been other cases where Israeli authorities struggled to locate or identify Palestinian bodies.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 20, 2021

Always perfectly seasoned, typically served with delicious gravies or sauces.

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull

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