Anyone know why food is sometimes known as "grub"?

Dear MG: It may be older, but during the '49 Gold Rush, a "grub stake" was money loaned
to a prospector, for a share in what might be discovered. The biggest part of the loan
was to cover food. Hence food = grub.

Thanks Bill. Still not sure how that could be the original usage, though....Why was a grub stake called a grub stake in the first place?

Kinda disappointed no one else had any further illumination for this subject.

the use of grub in this sense predates "grub stake" by about 200 years and probably (reading between the lines here) stems from the use of the verb grub as transferred Of animals: To root, search for something in the earth, etc.

and the citation: 1659 Anc. Poems, Ball., etc. (Percy Soc.) 22 Let's joyne together; I'le pass my word this night Shall yield us grub, before the morning light.

Thanks for that addition, tsuwm....I had been wondering if it had anything to do with the fact that some peoples do, in fact, eat grubs. Got to wondering about the whole thing when I borrowed Michael Palin's Full Circle videos from the liberry and at one point, he was eating grubs in an Asian restaurant, and of course took the opportunity to pun a little - after a mouthful he said, "Well, it's not the best [whatever type of grub it was - can't remember name] I've ever tasted, but it's still good grub...."

I tried witchetty grub in Australia once. You can eat 'em raw or cooked and I had a "fillet" of the cooked (our guide cut it up into slices so we could all have a taste). Very nice, actually - kind of a nutty egg flavour. Definitely good grub.

Wow, and I thought nothing could turn my stomach at this point.

I have always understood the word, "grub", as a verb, to mean digging in the earth - possibly with bare hands, or with a bit of wood.
It is, in other words, hard work.

If this is what you have to do in order to either grow things, or to uncover food (truffles, buried nuts, etc.), then that would very easily become transfered as a noun to the food itself.

Here's what Take Our Word for It has to say: And to grub is simply "to dig superficially". It is thought that it was grybban in Old English, coming from Old Teutonic grub- "to dig". Interestingly, the Old Teutonic root is also the source of the English noun grave.
There is a hand-held garden implement called a grubbing hoe. I agree with Rhuby, though; I think it's just a transference from where food comes from, to the food itself. There is an expression: rustle up some grub. This implies not a planned menu, but rather "digging" through the food supply and making something from whatever is available.

I grew up calling our sloppy, comfortable clothes "grubs". sometimes you just wanted to be grubby...

>I agree with Rhuby, though; I think it's just a transference from where food comes from, to the food itself.

"the use of the verb grub as transferred Of animals: To root, search for something in the earth, etc."

Pardon, my dear Tony, but something being transferred of animials didn't make enough sense for me. Very little of what is quoted from the OED ever makes any sense to me. Besides, I didn't disagree with you, now, did I?

...and what is it, do you suppose, that animals would be grubbing in the earth for, normally?

My understanding of the term grub-stake (based on spending too many early teen-age years reading Zane Grey novels - perhaps not the best source) is that it covered not just the food but the tools, tents and other stuff that the prospecters needed. In effect the provider of the stake was investing in the venture and the prospecter (or, disparagingly, grubber)was the one who would be grubbing around for the gold. Hence the grub-stake. Since then its generally accepted application has been restricted to food.

...and what is it, do you suppose, that animals would be grubbing in the earth for, normally?
It was the of that confused me. Or possibly there was a period missing. Transferred from animals would have done. Or, if there had been a period or other punctuation after the word transferred, in the use of grub in this sense predates "grub stake" by about 200 years and probably (reading between the lines here) stems from the use of the verb grub as transferred Of animals: To root, search for something in the earth, etc. , then it would have made sense to me.

sorry J., I thought the change of color would suffice.

'S'all right--we can't all be idiots. Always happy to fill a niche!

So would that be a grub steak?

So would that be a grub steak?

I'm tempted to say yes, but I wouldn't stake my life on my answer being right....