Ground
WordNet
noun
(1) The first or preliminary coat of paint or size applied to a surface
(2) (art) the surface (as a wall or canvas) prepared to take the paint for a painting
(3) A connection between an electrical device and a large conducting body, such as the earth (which is taken to be at zero voltage)
(4) A relatively homogeneous percept extending back of the figure on which attention is focused
(5) The part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground
"He posed her against a background of rolling hills"
(6) 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"
(7) A rational motive for a belief or action
"The reason that war was declared"
"The grounds for their declaration"
(8) The solid part of the earth's surface
"The plane turned away from the sea and moved back over land"
"The earth shook for several minutes"
"He dropped the logs on the ground"
(9) 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 land had never been plowed"
"Good agricultural soil"
(10) A relation that provides the foundation for something
"They were on a friendly footing"
"He worked on an interim basis"
(11) The loose soft material that makes up a large part of the land surface
"They dug into the earth outside the church"
verb
(12) Use as a basis for; found on
"Base a claim on some observation"
(13) Instruct someone in the fundamentals of a subject
(14) Connect to a ground
"Ground the electrical connections for safety reasons"
(15) Fix firmly and stably
"Anchor the lamppost in concrete"
(16) Cover with a primer; apply a primer to
(17) Place or put on the ground
(18) Confine or restrict to the ground
"After the accident, they grounded the plane and the pilot"
(19) Hit or reach the ground
(20) Bring to the ground
"The storm grounded the ship"
WiktionaryText
Etymology 1
From grund, from , from . Cognate with West Frisian , Dutch and German .
Noun
- The surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky or water or underground.
- Terrain.
- Soil, earth.
- The worm crawls through the ground.
- The bottom of a body of water.
- Basis, foundation, groundwork, legwork.
- Background, context, framework, surroundings.
- A soccer stadium.
- Manchester United's ground is known as Old Trafford.
- An electrical conductor connected to the ground.
- The British equivalent is earth.
- A level of electrical potential used as a zero reference.
- The area of grass on which a match is played (a cricket field); the entire arena in which it is played; that part of the field behind a batsman's popping crease where he can not be run out (hence to make one's ground)
Verb
- To connect (an electrical conductor or device) to a ground.
- To require a disobedient child to remain at home or refrain from other privileges such as uses of the Internet, phone, TV, or music, usually as a punishment.
- The teenager's father decided to ground him for two weeks after he broke curfew again.
- To forbid (an aircraft or pilot) to fly.
- Because of the bad weather, all flights were grounded.
- to hit a ground ball; to hit a ground ball which results in an out. Compare fly (verb(regular)) and line (verb).
- Jones grounded to second in his last at-bat.
- (of a batsman) to place his bat, or part of his body, on the ground behind the popping crease so as not to be run out
Adjective
- Crushed, or reduced to small particles.
- ground mustard seed
- Processed by grinding.
- lenses of ground glass