grass

play

noun, often attributive \ ˈgras \

Definition of grass

1 :herbage suitable or used for grazing animals

2 :any of a large family (Gramineae synonym Poaceae) of monocotyledonous mostly herbaceous plants with jointed stems, slender sheathing leaves, and flowers borne in spikelets of bracts

3 :land (such as a lawn or a turf racetrack) covered with growing grass

keep off the grass

the horse had never won on grass

4 grasses plural :leaves or plants of grass

5 :a state or place of retirement

put out to grass

[short for grasshopper, rhyming slang for copper]

slang, British :a police informer

7 :electronic noise on a radarscope that takes the form of vertical lines resembling lawn grass

8 :marijuana

—

grassless

play \ˈgras-ləs\ adjective

—

grasslike

play \ˈgras-ˌlīk\ adjective

See grass defined for English-language learners

See grass defined for kids

Examples of grass in a Sentence

They were smoking some grass.

Recent Examples of grass from the Web

Bring a blanket and take a seat on the grass for a summer picnic.

— heather platt, Los Angeles Magazine, "Reno: It’s Not Just The Place You Ignore While Skiing in Tahoe Anymore," 28 Aug. 2017
Desert ecosystems dominated by spinifex or Triodia grasses cover about 70% of Australia, but the only long-term experiment for studying them is set in a section of the desert in western Queensland—and that research site is now in jeopardy.

— john pickrell, Science | AAAS, "Australia to ax support for long-term ecology sites," 11 Aug. 2017
Adults and children assembled on a sunny afternoon to cut grass, rake leaves and transform an overgrown vacant lot, situated not far from an open-air drug market.

— donna owens, Essence.com, "A 'Ceasefire' In Baltimore May Launch A Movement To End Gun Violence In American Cities," 10 Aug. 2017
Summer Camp smell like fresh green grass with hints of crystal clear lake water, blooming hyacinth and hints of fresh lemon and smoke.

— lyndsey matthews, Country Living, "These Candles Will Remind You of Your Favorite Childhood Memories," 8 Aug. 2017
FYF's festival grounds lie over Exposition Park in south Los Angeles, the festival itself is draped over concrete and grass, with some stages lined with trees.

— lilian min, Cosmopolitan, "Why FYF Is The Better Version of Coachella for Music Fans," 1 Aug. 2017
During this time of year, grass is busily absorbing energy, moisture, and nutrients in preparation for a long, dormant winter.

— joseph truini, Popular Mechanics, "Fall Lawn Care: 6 Steps to Take Right Now," 21 July 2017
Adnan alleged that other groups in Rukban are trying to instigate trouble, such as the Tribal Council of Palmyra and Badia, which bills itself as a grass-roots service organization.

— karin laub, The Seattle Times, "Obstacles mount in fight to aid Syrians stranded near Jordan," 17 July 2017
Baxter Jack’s (sand division), 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Seneca Park (grass division), 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Free for spectators.

— taylor m. riley, The Courier-Journal, "This is what you should do on your lazy Sunday in Louisville," 15 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grass.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of grass

Middle English gras, from Old English græs; akin to Old High German gras grass, Old English grōwan to grow

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

grass

verb

Definition of grass

transitive verb

1 :to feed (livestock) on grass sometimes without grain or other concentrates

2 :to cover with grass; especially :to seed to grass

intransitive verb

1 :to produce grass

2 slang, British :inform 2 —often used with on

See grass defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of grass from the Web

How long should grass get before your town issues a warning or even a fine?

— linda kinsey, cleveland.com, "How should your community handle homeowners whose lawns are overgrown? Share your comments," 21 June 2017
Robotic lawn mowers like the Honda Miimo ($2,499); Robomow ($1,299); and Worx Landroid ($999) are to grass what the Roomba and its ilk are to carpet.

— maria carter, Country Living, "The Roomba for Lawns Is a Yard Work Game-Changer," 19 Apr. 2017

First Known Use of grass

circa 1500

Grass

play

biographical name \ ˈgräs \

Definition of Grass

Günter Wilhelm 1927–2015 German writer

GRASS Defined for English Language Learners

grass

play

noun

Definition of grass for English Language Learners

: plants that have narrow green leaves, that are eaten by cows, sheep, horses, etc., and that are commonly grown on lawns and in gardens
: a particular type of grass
: a person who gives information to the police about the criminal activity of other people : a police informer