1. The solid part of the earth's surface
   "he dropped the logs on the ground"; "the plane turned away from the sea and moved back over solid ground";
   - land, dry land, earth, solid ground, terra firma
    
2. The loose soft material that makes up a large part of the land surface
   "they dug into the ground outside the church";
   - earth
    
3. Reason or cause
   "the grounds for their declaration";
   - reason, occasion
    
4. Material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use)
   "the ground had never been ploughed";
   - land, soil
    
5. (electricity) a connection between an electrical device and a large conducting body, such as the earth (which is taken to be at zero voltage)
   "The electrician checked that all appliances were properly connected to ground";
   - earth [Brit]
    
6. A relation that provides the foundation for something
   "The theory provided ground for further research";
   - footing, basis
    
7. A position to be won or defended in battle (or as if in battle)
   "they gained ground step by step"; "they fought to regain the lost ground"
    
8. The part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground
   "he posed her against a ground of rolling hills";
   - background, backdrop
    
9. A relatively homogeneous percept extending back of the figure on which attention is focused
   "The mountains formed the ground against which the sunset was viewed"
    
10. (art) the surface (as a wall or canvas) prepared to take the paint for a painting
    "The artist applied a layer of gesso to create a smooth ground for the oil painting"
     
11. The first or preliminary coat of paint or size applied to a surface
    "The painter applied a ground to the wall before adding the final colour";
    - flat coat, primer, priming, primer coat, priming coat, undercoat

1. Place or put on the ground
   "The pilot safely grounded the plane after the emergency"
    
2. Hit or reach the ground
   "The canoe grounded on the sandy shore";
   - run aground
    
3. Fix firmly and stably
   "ground the lamppost in concrete";
   - anchor
    
4. Confine or restrict to the ground
   "After the accident, they grounded the plane and the pilot"
    
5. Bring to the ground
   "the storm grounded the ship";
   - strand, run aground
    
6. Instruct someone in the fundamentals of a subject
   "The tutor grounded the students in basic algebra"
    
7. (football) throw to the ground in order to stop play and avoid being tackled behind the line of scrimmage
   "The quarterback grounded the ball to avoid a sack"
    
8. (baseball) a hit that travels along the playing field
   "he grounded to the second baseman"
    
9. Cover with a primer; apply a primer to
   "They grounded the canvas before painting";
   - prime, undercoat
    
10. Connect to a ground
    "ground the electrical connections for safety reasons"
     
11. Use as a basis for; found on
    "They grounded their theory on solid research";
    - establish, base, found

1. Reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading
   "grind the spices in a mortar";
   - mash, crunch, bray [archaic], comminute [rare]
    
2. Create by grinding
   "grind designs into the glass bowl"
    
3. Shape or form by grinding
   "grind lenses for glasses and cameras"
    
4. Press or grind with a crushing noise
   "He ground the ice cubes between his teeth";
   - crunch, cranch [archaic], craunch [archaic], scrunch
    
5. Make a grating or grinding sound by rubbing together
   "grind one's teeth in anger";
   - grate
    
6. [informal] Work hard
   "Lexicographers grind all day long";
   - labor [US], labour [Brit, Cdn], toil, fag [informal], travail [literary], drudge, dig [US, informal], moil [N. Amer]
    
7. [informal] Dance by rotating the pelvis in an erotically suggestive way, often while in contact with one's partner such that the dancers' legs are interlaced
   "The couple was grinding on the dance floor"

Derived forms: grounded, grounds, grounding

See also: tyrannize

Type of: arrive at, article, aspect, attain, break up, coat of paint, confine, connect, connecter, connection, connective, connector, connexion [Brit], constrain, create, dance, fasten, father, fix, forge, form, foundation, fragment, fragmentise [Brit], fragmentize, gain, hit, hold, initiate, instruct, land, lay, learn [archaic], link, link up, make, material, military position, mold [N. Amer], mould [Brit, Cdn], object, originate, paint, panorama, percept, perception, perceptual experience, physical object, place, pose, position, press, prospect, put, rational motive, reach, restrain, scene, secure, set, shape, start, stuff, surface, teach, throw, tie, trip the light fantastic [archaic], trip the light fantastic toe [archaic], view, vista, wing, work

Antonym: figure

Part of: Earth, globe, world

Encyclopedia: Ground, Richard