- Main Entry:
- 1ground
- Pronunciation:
-
\ˈgrau̇nd\
- Function:
- noun
- Usage:
- often attributive
- Etymology:
- Middle English, from Old English grund; akin to Old High German grunt ground
- Date:
- before 12th century
1 a: the bottom of a body of water bplural (1): sediment 1 (2): ground coffee beans after brewing2 a: a basis for belief, action, or argument <ground for complaint> —often used in plural <sufficient grounds for divorce> b (1): a fundamental logical condition (2): a basic metaphysical cause3 a: a surrounding area : background b: material that serves as a substratum4 a: the surface of the earth b: an area used for a particular purpose <the parade ground> <fishing grounds> cplural : the area around and belonging to a house or other building d: an area to be won or defended in or as if in battle e: an area of knowledge or special interest <covered a lot of ground in his lecture>5 a: soil, earth b: a special soil6 a: an object that makes an electrical connection with the earth b: a large conducting body (as the earth) used as a common return for an electric circuit and as an arbitrary zero of potential c: electric connection with a ground7: a football offense utilizing primarily running plays
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from the ground up 1: entirely new or afresh2: from top to bottom : thoroughly —
into the ground : beyond what is necessary or tolerable : to exhaustion <labored an issue into the ground— Newsweek>
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off the ground : in or as if in flight : off to a good start <the program never got off the ground>
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on the ground : at the scene of action
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to ground 1: into a burrow <the fox went to ground>2: into hiding <might need to make a run for it and go to ground someplace — Edward Hoagland>
