The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Grovel \Grov"el\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Groveledor Grovelled;
   p. pr. & vb. n. Groveling or Grovelling.] [From OE.
   grovelinge, grufelinge, adv., on the face, prone, which was
   misunderstood as a p. pr.; cf. OE. gruf, groff, in the same
   sense; of Scand. origin, cf. Icel. gr[=u]fa, in [=a] gr[=u]fu
   on the face, prone, gr[=u]fa to grovel.]
   1. To creep on the earth, or with the face to the ground; to
      lie prone, or move uneasily with the body prostrate on the
      earth; to lie flat on one's belly, expressive of
      abjectness; to crawl.
      [1913 Webster]

            To creep and grovel on the ground.    --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To tend toward, or delight in, what is sensual or base; to
      be low, abject, or mean.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

grovel
    v 1: show submission or fear [syn: fawn, crawl, creep,
         cringe, cower, grovel]

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (19 January 2023):

grovel

   1. To work interminably and without apparent progress.  Often
   used transitively with "over" or "through".  "The file
   scavenger has been groveling through the /usr directories for
   10 minutes now."  Compare grind and crunch.  Emphatic
   form: "grovel obscenely".

   2. To examine minutely or in complete detail.  "The compiler
   grovels over the entire source program before beginning to
   translate it."  "I grovelled through all the documentation,
   but I still couldn't find the command I wanted."

   [Jargon File]


The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):

grovel
 vi.

    1. To work interminably and without apparent progress. Often used
    transitively with ‘over’ or ‘through’. “The file scavenger has been
    groveling through the /usr directories for 10 minutes now.” Compare grind
    and crunch. Emphatic form: grovel obscenely.

    2. To examine minutely or in complete detail. “The compiler grovels over
    the entire source program before beginning to translate it.” “I grovelled
    through all the documentation, but I still couldn't find the command I
    wanted.”