Meaning of ground in English | Powered by Free Dictionary API

noun

• The surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky or water or underground.

  Example: Look, I found a ten dollar bill on the ground!

• Terrain.

• Soil, earth.

  Example: The fox escaped from the hounds by going to ground.

• The bottom of a body of water.

• Basis, foundation, groundwork, legwork.

• (chiefly in the plural) Reason, (epistemic) justification, cause.

  Example: He could not come on grounds of health, or on health grounds.

• Background, context, framework, surroundings.

• The area on which a battle is fought, particularly as referring to the area occupied by one side or the other. Often, according to the eventualities, "to give ground" or "to gain ground".

• (by extension) Advantage given or gained in any contest; e.g. in football, chess, debate or academic discourse.

• The plain surface upon which the figures of an artistic composition are set.

  Example: crimson flowers on a white ground

• In sculpture, a flat surface upon which figures are raised in relief.

• In point lace, the net of small meshes upon which the embroidered pattern is applied.

  Example: Brussels ground

• In etching, a gummy substance spread over the surface of a metal to be etched, to prevent the acid from eating except where an opening is made by the needle.

• (chiefly in the plural) One of the pieces of wood, flush with the plastering, to which mouldings etc. are attached.

  Example: Grounds are usually put up first and the plastering floated flush with them.

• A soccer stadium.

  Example: Manchester United's ground is known as Old Trafford.

• An electrical conductor connected to the earth, or a large conductor whose electrical potential is taken as zero (such as a steel chassis).

• The area of grass on which a match is played (a cricket field); the entire arena in which it is played; the part of the field behind a batsman's popping crease where he can not be run out (hence to make one's ground).

• A composition in which the bass, consisting of a few bars of independent notes, is continually repeated to a varying melody.

• The tune on which descants are raised; the plain song.

• The pit of a theatre.

verb

• To connect (an electrical conductor or device) to a ground.

• To punish, especially a child or teenager, by forcing him/her to stay at home and/or give up certain privileges.

  Example: Eric, you are grounded until further notice for lying to us about where you were last night!

• To forbid (an aircraft or pilot) to fly.

  Example: Because of the bad weather, all flights were grounded.

• To give a basic education in a particular subject; to instruct in elements or first principles.

  Example: Jim was grounded in maths.

• To hit a ground ball. Compare fly (verb(regular)) and line (verb).

• To place something on the ground.

• To run aground; to strike the bottom and remain fixed.

  Example: The ship grounded on the bar.

• To found; to fix or set, as on a foundation, reason, or principle; to furnish a ground for; to fix firmly.

• To cover with a ground, as a copper plate for etching, or as paper or other materials with a uniform tint as a preparation for ornament.

• To improve or focus the mental or emotional state of.

  Example: I ground myself with meditation.

verb

• To reduce to smaller pieces by crushing with lateral motion.

• To shape with the force of friction.

  Example: grind a lens; grind an axe

• To remove material by rubbing with an abrasive surface.

• To become ground, pulverized, or polished by friction.

  Example: Steel grinds to a sharp edge.

• To move with much difficulty or friction; to grate.

• To slide the flat portion of a skateboard or snowboard across an obstacle such as a railing.

• To oppress, hold down or weaken.

• To rotate the hips erotically.

• To dance in a sexually suggestive way with both partners in very close proximity, often pressed against each other.

• To repeat a task a large number of times in a row to achieve a specific goal.

• To operate by turning a crank.

  Example: to grind an organ

• To produce mechanically and repetitively as if by turning a crank.

• To automatically format and indent code.

• To instill through repetitive teaching.

  Example: Grinding lessons into students' heads does not motivate them to learn.

• To eat.

  Example: Eh, brah, let's go grind.

• To work or study hard; to hustle or drudge.

• To annoy or irritate (a person); to grind one's gears.

adjective

• Crushed, or reduced to small particles.

  Example: ground mustard seed

• Processed by grinding.

  Example: lenses of ground glass