Among the ancient Hebrews graves were outside of cities in the open field (Luke 7:12; John 11:30). Kings (1 Kings 2:10) and prophets (1 Samuel 25:1) were generally buried within cities. Graves were generally grottoes or caves, natural or hewn out in rocks (Isaiah 22:16; Matthew 27:60). There were family cemeteries (Genesis 47:29; 50:5; 2 Samuel 19:37). Public burial-places were assigned to the poor (Jeremiah 26:23; 2 Kings 23:6). Graves were usually closed with stones, which were whitewashed, to warn strangers against contact with them (Matthew 23:27), which caused ceremonial pollution (Numbers 19:16).

There were no graves in Jerusalem except those of the kings, and according to tradition that of the prophetess Huldah.

Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language

1. (v. t.) To clean, as a vessel's bottom, of barnacles, grass, etc., and pay it over with pitch; -- so called because graves or greaves was formerly used for this purpose.

2. (superl.) of great weight; heavy; ponderous.

3. (superl.) of importance; momentous; weighty; influential; sedate; serious; -- said of character

4. (superl.) Not light or gay; solemn; sober; plain; as, a grave color; a grave face.

5. (superl.) Not acute or sharp; low; deep; -- said of sound; as, a grave note or key.

6. (superl.) Slow and solemn in movement.

7. (n.) To dig. [Obs.] Chaucer.

8. (n.) To carve or cut, as letters or figures, on some hard substance; to engrave.

9. (n.) To carve out or give shape to, by cutting with a chisel; to sculpture; as, to grave an image.

10. (n.) To impress deeply (on the mind); to fix indelibly.

11. (n.) To entomb; to bury.

12. (v. i.) To write or delineate on hard substances, by means of incised lines; to practice engraving.

13. (n.) An excavation in the earth as a place of burial; also, any place of interment; a tomb; a sepulcher. Hence: Death; destruction.

14. (n.) A final syllable signifying a ruler, as in landgrave, margrave. See Margrave.