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Tip: Click Thesaurus above for synonyms. Also, follow synonym links within the dictionary to find definitions from other sources.

1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
ground
    n 1: 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" [syn: land, dry land, earth, ground, solid
         ground, terra firma]
    2: a rational motive for a belief or action; "the reason that
       war was declared"; "the grounds for their declaration" [syn:
       reason, ground]
    3: the loose soft material that makes up a large part of the
       land surface; "they dug into the earth outside the church"
       [syn: earth, ground]
    4: a relation that provides the foundation for something; "they
       were on a friendly footing"; "he worked on an interim basis"
       [syn: footing, basis, ground]
    5: 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"
    6: the part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in
       the foreground; "he posed her against a background of rolling
       hills" [syn: background, ground]
    7: 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" [syn: land, ground, soil]
    8: a relatively homogeneous percept extending back of the figure
       on which attention is focused [ant: figure]
    9: a connection between an electrical device and a large
       conducting body, such as the earth (which is taken to be at
       zero voltage) [syn: ground, earth]
    10: (art) the surface (as a wall or canvas) prepared to take the
        paint for a painting
    11: the first or preliminary coat of paint or size applied to a
        surface [syn: flat coat, ground, primer, priming,
        primer coat, priming coat, undercoat]
    v 1: fix firmly and stably; "anchor the lamppost in concrete"
         [syn: anchor, ground]
    2: confine or restrict to the ground; "After the accident, they
       grounded the plane and the pilot"
    3: place or put on the ground
    4: instruct someone in the fundamentals of a subject
    5: bring to the ground; "the storm grounded the ship" [syn:
       ground, strand, run aground]
    6: hit or reach the ground [syn: ground, run aground]
    7: throw to the ground in order to stop play and avoid being
       tackled behind the line of scrimmage
    8: hit a groundball; "he grounded to the second baseman"
    9: hit onto the ground
    10: cover with a primer; apply a primer to [syn: prime,
        ground, undercoat]
    11: connect to a ground; "ground the electrical connections for
        safety reasons"
    12: use as a basis for; found on; "base a claim on some
        observation" [syn: establish, base, ground, found]

2. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
ground \ground\ (ground), n. [OE. ground, grund, AS. grund; akin
   to D. grond, OS., G., Sw., & Dan. grund, Icel. grunnr bottom,
   Goth. grundus (in composition); perh. orig. meaning, dust,
   gravel, and if so perh. akin to E. grind.]
   1. The surface of the earth; the outer crust of the globe, or
      some indefinite portion of it.
      [1913 Webster]

            There was not a man to till the ground. --Gen. ii.
                                                  5.
      [1913 Webster]

            The fire ran along upon the ground.   --Ex. ix. 23.
      Hence: A floor or pavement supposed to rest upon the
      earth.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Any definite portion of the earth's surface; region;
      territory; country. Hence: A territory appropriated to, or
      resorted to, for a particular purpose; the field or place
      of action; as, a hunting or fishing ground; a play ground.
      [1913 Webster]

            From . . . old Euphrates, to the brook that parts
            Egypt from Syrian ground.             --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Land; estate; possession; field; esp. (pl.), the gardens,
      lawns, fields, etc., belonging to a homestead; as, the
      grounds of the estate are well kept.
      [1913 Webster]

            Thy next design is on thy neighbor's grounds.
                                                  --Dryden. 4.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. The basis on which anything rests; foundation. Hence: The
      foundation of knowledge, belief, or conviction; a premise,
      reason, or datum; ultimate or first principle; cause of
      existence or occurrence; originating force or agency; as,
      the ground of my hope.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. (Paint. & Decorative Art)
      (a) That surface upon which the figures of a composition
          are set, and which relieves them by its plainness,
          being either of one tint or of tints but slightly
          contrasted with one another; as, crimson Bowers on a
          white ground. See Background, Foreground, and
          Middle-ground.
      (b) In sculpture, a flat surface upon which figures are
          raised in relief.
      (c) In point lace, the net of small meshes upon which the
          embroidered pattern is applied; as, Brussels ground.
          See Brussels lace, under Brussels.
          [1913 Webster]

   6. (Etching) A gummy composition 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.
      [1913 Webster]

   7. (Arch.) One of the pieces of wood, flush with the
      plastering, to which moldings, etc., are attached; --
      usually in the plural.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: Grounds are usually put up first and the plastering
         floated flush with them.
         [1913 Webster]

   8. (Mus.)
      (a) A composition in which the bass, consisting of a few
          bars of independent notes, is continually repeated to
          a varying melody.
      (b) The tune on which descants are raised; the plain song.
          --Moore (Encyc.).
          [1913 Webster]

                On that ground I'll build a holy descant.
                                                  --Shak.
          [1913 Webster]

   9. (Elec.) A conducting connection with the earth, whereby
      the earth is made part of an electrical circuit.
      [1913 Webster]

   10. pl. Sediment at the bottom of liquors or liquids; dregs;
       lees; feces; as, coffee grounds.
       [1913 Webster]

   11. The pit of a theater. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.
       [1913 Webster]

   Ground angling, angling with a weighted line without a
      float.

   Ground annual (Scots Law), an estate created in land by a
      vassal who instead of selling his land outright reserves
      an annual ground rent, which becomes a perpetual charge
      upon the land.

   Ground ash. (Bot.) See Groutweed.

   Ground bailiff (Mining), a superintendent of mines.
      --Simmonds.

   Ground bait, bits of bread, boiled barley or worms, etc.,
      thrown into the water to collect the fish, --Wallon.

   Ground bass or Ground base (Mus.), fundamental base; a
      fundamental base continually repeated to a varied melody.
      

   Ground beetle (Zool.), one of numerous species of
      carnivorous beetles of the family Carabid[ae], living
      mostly in burrows or under stones, etc.

   Ground chamber, a room on the ground floor.

   Ground cherry. (Bot.)
       (a) A genus (Physalis) of herbaceous plants having an
           inflated calyx for a seed pod: esp., the strawberry
           tomato (Physalis Alkekengi). See Alkekengl.
       (b) A European shrub (Prunus Cham[ae]cerasus), with
           small, very acid fruit.

   Ground cuckoo. (Zool.) See Chaparral cock.

   Ground cypress. (Bot.) See Lavender cotton.

   Ground dove (Zool.), one of several small American pigeons
      of the genus Columbigallina, esp. C. passerina of the
      Southern United States, Mexico, etc. They live chiefly on
      the ground.

   Ground fish (Zool.), any fish which constantly lives on the
      botton of the sea, as the sole, turbot, halibut.

   Ground floor, the floor of a house most nearly on a level
      with the ground; -- called also in America, but not in
      England, the first floor.

   Ground form (Gram.), the stem or basis of a word, to which
      the other parts are added in declension or conjugation. It
      is sometimes, but not always, the same as the root.

   Ground furze (Bot.), a low slightly thorny, leguminous
      shrub (Ononis arvensis) of Europe and Central Asia,; --
      called also rest-harrow.

   Ground game, hares, rabbits, etc., as distinguished from
      winged game.

   Ground hele (Bot.), a perennial herb (Veronica
      officinalis) with small blue flowers, common in Europe
      and America, formerly thought to have curative properties.
      

   Ground of the heavens (Astron.), the surface of any part of
      the celestial sphere upon which the stars may be regarded
      as projected.

   Ground hemlock (Bot.), the yew (Taxus baccata var.
      Canadensisi) of eastern North America, distinguished from
      that of Europe by its low, straggling stems.

   Ground hog. (Zool.)
       (a) The woodchuck or American marmot (Arctomys monax).
           See Woodchuck.
       (b) The aardvark.

   Ground hold (Naut.), ground tackle. [Obs.] --Spenser.

   Ground ice, ice formed at the bottom of a body of water
      before it forms on the surface.

   Ground ivy. (Bot.) A trailing plant; alehoof. See Gill.
      

   Ground joist, a joist for a basement or ground floor; a.
      sleeper.

   Ground lark (Zool.), the European pipit. See Pipit.

   Ground laurel (Bot.). See Trailing arbutus, under
      Arbutus.

   Ground line (Descriptive Geom.), the line of intersection
      of the horizontal and vertical planes of projection.

   Ground liverwort (Bot.), a flowerless plant with a broad
      flat forking thallus and the fruit raised on peduncled and
      radiated receptacles (Marchantia polymorpha).

   Ground mail, in Scotland, the fee paid for interment in a
      churchyard.

   Ground mass (Geol.), the fine-grained or glassy base of a
      rock, in which distinct crystals of its constituents are
      embedded.

   Ground parrakeet (Zool.), one of several Australian
      parrakeets, of the genera Callipsittacus and
      Geopsittacus, which live mainly upon the ground.

   Ground pearl (Zool.), an insect of the family Coccid[ae]
      (Margarodes formicarum), found in ants' nests in the
      Bahamas, and having a shelly covering. They are strung
      like beads, and made into necklaces by the natives.

   Ground pig (Zool.), a large, burrowing, African rodent
      (Aulacodus Swinderianus) about two feet long, allied to
      the porcupines but with harsh, bristly hair, and no
      spines; -- called also ground rat.

   Ground pigeon (Zool.), one of numerous species of pigeons
      which live largely upon the ground, as the tooth-billed
      pigeon (Didunculus strigirostris), of the Samoan
      Islands, and the crowned pigeon, or goura. See Goura,
      and Ground dove (above).

   Ground pine. (Bot.)
       (a) A blue-flowered herb of the genus Ajuga (A.
           Cham[ae]pitys), formerly included in the genus
           Teucrium or germander, and named from its resinous
           smell. --Sir J. Hill.
       (b) A long, creeping, evergreen plant of the genus
           Lycopodium (L. clavatum); -- called also club
           moss.
       (c) A tree-shaped evergreen plant about eight inches in
           height, of the same genus (L. dendroideum) found in
           moist, dark woods in the northern part of the United
           States. --Gray.

   Ground plan (Arch.), a plan of the ground floor of any
      building, or of any floor, as distinguished from an
      elevation or perpendicular section.

   Ground plane, the horizontal plane of projection in
      perspective drawing.

   Ground plate.
       (a) (Arch.) One of the chief pieces of framing of a
           building; a timber laid horizontally on or near the
           ground to support the uprights; a ground sill or
           groundsel.
       (b) (Railroads) A bed plate for sleepers or ties; a
           mudsill.
       (c) (Teleg.) A metallic plate buried in the earth to
           conduct the electric current thereto. Connection to
           the pipes of a gas or water main is usual in cities.
           --Knight.

   Ground plot, the ground upon which any structure is
      erected; hence, any basis or foundation; also, a ground
      plan.

   Ground plum (Bot.), a leguminous plant (Astragalus
      caryocarpus) occurring from the Saskatchewan to Texas,
      and having a succulent plum-shaped pod.

   Ground rat. (Zool.) See Ground pig (above).

   Ground rent, rent paid for the privilege of building on
      another man's land.

   Ground robin. (Zool.) See Chewink.

   Ground room, a room on the ground floor; a lower room.
      --Tatler.

   Ground sea, the West Indian name for a swell of the ocean,
      which occurs in calm weather and without obvious cause,
      breaking on the shore in heavy roaring billows; -- called
      also rollers, and in Jamaica, the North sea.

   Ground sill. See Ground plate (a) (above).

   Ground snake (Zool.), a small burrowing American snake
      (Celuta am[oe]na). It is salmon colored, and has a blunt
      tail.

   Ground squirrel. (Zool.)
       (a) One of numerous species of burrowing rodents of the
           genera Tamias and Spermophilus, having cheek
           pouches. The former genus includes the Eastern
           striped squirrel or chipmunk and some allied Western
           species; the latter includes the prairie squirrel or
           striped gopher, the gray gopher, and many allied
           Western species. See Chipmunk, and Gopher.
       (b) Any species of the African genus Xerus, allied to
           Tamias.

   Ground story. Same as Ground floor (above).

   Ground substance (Anat.), the intercellular substance, or
      matrix, of tissues.

   Ground swell.
       (a) (Bot.) The plant groundsel. [Obs.] --Holland.
       (b) A broad, deep swell or undulation of the ocean,
           caused by a long continued gale, and felt even at a
           remote distance after the gale has ceased.

   Ground table. (Arch.) See Earth table, under Earth.

   Ground tackle (Naut.), the tackle necessary to secure a
      vessel at anchor. --Totten.

   Ground thrush (Zool.), one of numerous species of
      bright-colored Oriental birds of the family Pittid[ae].
      See Pitta.

   Ground tier.
       (a) The lowest tier of water casks in a vessel's hold.
           --Totten.
       (b) The lowest line of articles of any kind stowed in a
           vessel's hold.
       (c) The lowest range of boxes in a theater.

   Ground timbers (Shipbuilding) the timbers which lie on the
      keel and are bolted to the keelson; floor timbers.
      --Knight.

   Ground tit. (Zool.) See Ground wren (below).

   Ground wheel, that wheel of a harvester, mowing machine,
      etc., which, rolling on the ground, drives the mechanism.
      

   Ground wren (Zool.), a small California bird (Cham[ae]a
      fasciata) allied to the wrens and titmice. It inhabits
      the arid plains. Called also ground tit, and wren tit.
      

   To bite the ground, To break ground. See under Bite,
      Break.

   To come to the ground, To fall to the ground, to come to
      nothing; to fail; to miscarry.

   To gain ground.
       (a) To advance; to proceed forward in conflict; as, an
           army in battle gains ground.
       (b) To obtain an advantage; to have some success; as, the
           army gains ground on the enemy.
       (c) To gain credit; to become more prosperous or
           influential.

   To get ground, or To gather ground, to gain ground. [R.]
      "Evening mist . . . gathers ground fast." --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

            There is no way for duty to prevail, and get ground
            of them, but by bidding higher.       --South.

   To give ground, to recede; to yield advantage.
      [1913 Webster]

            These nine . . . began to give me ground. --Shak.

   To lose ground, to retire; to retreat; to withdraw from the
      position taken; hence, to lose advantage; to lose credit
      or reputation; to decline.

   To stand one's ground, to stand firm; to resist attack or
      encroachment. --Atterbury.

   To take the ground to touch bottom or become stranded; --
      said of a ship.
      [1913 Webster]

3. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
ground \ground\ (ground), v. t. [imp. & p. p. grounded; p. pr.
   & vb. n. grounding.]
   1. To lay, set, or run, on the ground.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To found; to fix or set, as on a foundation, reason, or
      principle; to furnish a ground for; to fix firmly.
      [1913 Webster]

            Being rooted and grounded in love.    --Eph. iii.
                                                  17.
      [1913 Webster]

            So far from warranting any inference to the
            existence of a God, would, on the contrary, ground
            even an argument to his negation.     --Sir W.
                                                  Hamilton
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To instruct in elements or first principles.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. (Elec.) To connect with the ground so as to make the earth
      a part of an electrical circuit.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. (Fine Arts) To cover with a ground, as a copper plate for
      etching (see Ground, n., 5); or as paper or other
      materials with a uniform tint as a preparation for
      ornament.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. To forbid (a pilot) to fly an airplane; -- usually as a
      disciplinary measure, or for reasons of ill health
      sufficient to interfere with performance.
      [PJC]

   7. To forbid (aircraft) to fly; -- usually due to the unsafe
      condition of the aircraft or lack of conformity to safety
      regulations; as, the discovery of a crack in the wing of a
      Trijet caused the whole fleeet to be grounded for
      inspection.
      [PJC]

   8. To temporarily restrict the activities of (a child),
      especially social activity outside the house; -- usually
      for bad or unsatisfactory conduct; as, Johnny was grounded
      for fighting at school and can't go to the movies for two
      weeks.
      [PJC]

4. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Grind \Grind\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ground; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Grinding.] [AS. grindan; perh. akin to L. frendere to
   gnash, grind. Cf. Grist.]
   1. To reduce to powder by friction, as in a mill, or with the
      teeth; to crush into small fragments; to produce as by the
      action of millstones.
      [1913 Webster]

            Take the millstones, and grind meal.  --Is. xivii.
                                                  2.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To wear down, polish, or sharpen, by friction; to make
      smooth, sharp, or pointed; to whet, as a knife or drill;
      to rub against one another, as teeth, etc.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To oppress by severe exactions; to harass.
      [1913 Webster]

            To grind the subject or defraud the prince.
                                                  --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. To study hard for examination; -- commonly used with away;
      as, to grind away at one's studies. [College Slang]
      [1913 Webster]

5. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
ground \ground\, v. i.
   To run aground; to strike the bottom and remain fixed; as,
   the ship grounded on the bar.
   [1913 Webster]

6. The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
ground \ground\,
   imp. & p. p. of Grind.
   [1913 Webster]

   ground cock, a cock, the plug of which is ground into its
      seat, as distinguished from a compression cock. --Knight.

   Ground glass, glass the transparency of which has been
      destroyed by having its surface roughened by grinding.

   Ground joint, a close joint made by grinding together two
      pieces, as of metal with emery and oil, or of glass with
      fine sand and water.
      [1913 Webster]

Thesaurus Results for ground:

1. Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
Bassalia, a priori principle, abyss, abyssal zone, acres, affirmation, agora, air brush, airspace, alluvion, alluvium, ambition, amphitheater, angle, antecedent, antecedents, apriorism, arable land, area, arena, argument, art paper, aspiration, assertion, assumed position, assumption, athletic field, auditorium, axiom, back, backdrop, background, base, basement, basin, basis, bathyal zone, beach, bear garden, bearing wall, bed, bedding, bedrock, belt, benthos, billiard table, blow down, blow over, bottom, bottom waters, bottomless depths, bottommost, bowl, bowl down, bowl over, bowling green, boxing ring, branny, bring down, broaden the mind, brush, build, build in, bull ring, bulldog, call, calling, camera lucida, camera obscura, campus, canvas, carpet, cast away, cast down, catechize, categorical proposition, causation, cause, cause and effect, chalk, chalklike, chalky, channel, charcoal, chop down, chromogen, cincture, circus, civilize, clay, clod, close, coach, coat, coat of paint, coating, cockpit, coliseum, color, color filter, color gelatin, colorant, coloring, colosseum, comminute, comminuted, compass, confine, confines, confirm, consideration, container, continental shelf, coop, corridor, coulee, country, course, court, courtyard, cover, crayon, crushed, crust, curtilage, cut down, dash down, data, dead flat, dead level, dead-color, deck, deep-dye, define, delimited field, demonstrate, demonstration, department, deposit, determinant, determinative, detrital, detrited, direct, dirt, disintegrated, distance, distemper, district, division, down, drawing paper, drawing pencil, dregs, drier, drop, dry land, dust, dusty, dye, dyestuff, earth, easel, edify, educate, efflorescent, element, embed, enclave, enclosure, engraft, engrave, enlighten, entrench, environs, esplanade, establish, etch, etiology, evidence, excuse, exterior paint, factor, farinaceous, fell, fetch down, field, fine, first principles, fix, fixative, flaky, flat, flat coat, flat wash, flatland, flatten, floor, floor covering, floor enamel, flooring, floury, fold, fond, footing, forum, found, foundation, freehold, fundament, fundamental, furfuraceous, give instruction, give lessons in, glebe, goal, gone to dust, good reason, grassland, grated, grounds, groundwork, guide, guiding light, guiding star, gym, gymnasium, hall, hardpan, heartland, hew down, hinterland, hippodrome, homaloid, horizontal, horizontal axis, horizontal fault, horizontal line, horizontal parallax, horizontal plane, horizontal projection, hypothesis, hypothesis ad hoc, ideal, illumine, impact, impalpable, implant, impress, imprint, infix, inform, infrastructure, ingrain, initiate, inner space, inscribe, inspiration, install, instruct, insulate, intention, interior paint, invest, isolate, jam, justification, knock down, land, landholdings, lay figure, lay level, lay low, lay out, lay the foundation, ledge, lees, lemma, level, level line, level plane, levigated, list, lists, lithosphere, loam, locale, lodestar, lodge, lowest, mainspring, major premise, marginal land, marketplace, marl, mat, material basis, matter, maulstick, mealy, mean sea level, medium, milieu, milled, minor premise, mise-en-scene, mold, motive, mow down, neighborhood, nethermost, occasion, ocean bottom, ocean depths, ocean floor, offshore rights, opaque color, open forum, open the eyes, organize, pack, paint, paintbrush, palaestra, pale, palette, palette knife, paling, parade ground, park, parquet, part, parterre, parts, pastel, pave, pavement, paving, pelagic zone, pen, pencil, perspective, pestled, philosopheme, pigment, pigments, pile up, pit, pitch, place, plain, plane, plant, platform, position, post, postulate, postulation, postulatum, powdered, powdery, prairie, precinct, precincts, precipitate, precipitation, premise, premises, prepare, presupposition, prime coat, primer, priming, principle, print, prize ring, proof, proposition, propositional function, prostrate, public square, pull down, pulverant, pulverized, pulverulent, purlieu, purlieus, put in, put up, quad, quadrangle, quarter, radical, range, rase, rationale, raze, real estate, real property, rear, reason, reduced to powder, reeducate, region, regolith, right, ring, riprap, rock bottom, rock-bottom, root, rudiment, run aground, sake, salient, scaly, scene, scene of action, scenery, school, scobicular, scobiform, scope, score, scratchboard, scurfy, sea level, sea of grass, seat, section, sediment, send headlong, set, set in, set right, set up, setting, settle, settlings, sharded, sharpen the wits, shipwreck, show, show how, shredded, siccative, sill, site, sketchbook, sketchpad, sod, soil, solid ground, solid rock, source, space, spatula, sphere, spray gun, spread-eagle, spring, square, squared circle, stadium, stage, stage set, stage setting, stain, stamp, stand, standing, statement, station, status, steppe, stereobate, stereotype, stimulus, strand, stump, stylobate, subaerial deposit, subsoil, substance, substratum, substruction, substructure, sumption, supinate, supposal, surfacing, sustain, table, take down, take the ground, teach, teach a lesson, teach the rudiments, tempera, terra, terra firma, terrace, terrain, territory, test, testimony, the country, the deep, the deep sea, the deeps, the depths, theater, theorem, thesis, thinner, three-mile limit, throw, throw down, tilting ground, tiltyard, tinction, tincture, toft, topple, topsoil, train, transparent color, trench, trial, trip, triturated, truth table, truth-function, truth-value, tumble, turf, turpentine, turps, tutor, twelve-mile limit, ulterior motive, underbuilding, undercarriage, undercoat, undercoating, undergirding, undermost, underpinning, understruction, understructure, varnish, vehicle, venue, vest, vicinage, vicinity, viewpoint, vocation, walk, warrant, wash, wash coat, water level, wedge, whack down, wherefore, why, whyfor, woodland, wreck, wrestling ring, yard, zone
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