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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

ground en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /ɡɹʊnd/ (Northumbria)
  • (Australia) audio
  • (General-American) audio
  • /ɡɹaʊnd/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʰrem- Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *grunduz Old English grund Middle English ground English ground From Middle English ground, from Old English grund, from Proto-West Germanic *grundu, from Proto-Germanic *grunduz. Cognate with West Frisian grûn, Dutch grond and German Grund. (to punish): Compare (to bring) down to earth, to come down to earth.

Meanings

  1. (countable, uncountable) The surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky or water or underground.
    • If the afternoon was fine they strolled together in the park, very slowly, and with pauses to draw breath wherever the ground sloped upward. The slightest effort made the patient cough. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
    • Mind you, clothes were clothes in those days. […] Frills, ruffles, flounces, lace, complicated seams and gores: not only did they sweep the ground and have to be held up in one hand elegantly as you walked along, but they had little capes or coats or feather boas. 1977, Agatha Christie, chapter 4, in An Autobiography, part II, London: Collins, →ISBN:
    • Look, I found a ten dollar bill on the ground!
    • From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much. Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. 2013 June 8, “The new masters and commanders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 52:
  2. (uncountable) Terrain.
    • As the terrain-following radar scans the ground ahead of the aircraft the actual clearance height is measured by the radio altimeter. 1971, “The development of terrain following radar: an account of the progress made with an airborne guidance system for low flying military aircraft”, in Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology:
  3. (countable, uncountable) Soil, earth.
    • The worm crawls through the ground.
  4. (countable) The bottom of a body of water.
  5. (countable, uncountable) Basis, foundation, groundwork, legwork.
    • Wyth cry unreverent, Before the sacrament, Wythin the holy church bowndis, That of our fayth the grownd is. c. 1503–1512, John Skelton, Ware the Hauke; republished in John Scattergood, editor, John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, 1983, →OCLC, page 62, lines 11–14:
    • [B]e the consequences what they may, they shall not move an inch, nor a hair's-breadth from the ground of their groundless spiritual independence, […] 1840, Lewis Rose, chapter III, in An Humble Attempt to Put an End to the Present Divisions in the Church of Scotland, and to Promote Her Usefulness. […] , Glasgow: George Gallie, →OCLC, page 51:
  6. (countable, in-plural, uncountable) Reason, (epistemic) justification, cause.
    • He could not come on grounds of health, or on health grounds.
    • You will need to show good grounds for your action.
  7. (countable, uncountable) Background, context, framework, surroundings.
  8. (countable, historical, uncountable) The area on which a battle is fought, particularly as referring to the area occupied by one side or the other. Often, according to the eventualities, "to give ground" or "to gain ground".
  9. (broadly, countable, figuratively, uncountable) Advantage given or gained in any contest; e.g. in football, chess, debate or academic discourse.
  10. (countable, in-compounds, uncountable) A place suited to a specified activity.
    • I gather from your last answer that at the present time the constabulary, to a certain extent, is good recruiting ground for the army? 1876, Parliamentary Papers, volume 14, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons, page 147:
    • a forest traditionally used as a hunting-ground
  11. (countable, uncountable) The plain surface upon which the figures of an artistic composition are set.
    • crimson flowers on a white ground
    • […] to pad a piece in diluted acetate of alumine to obtain a pale lemon ground […] 1819, Abraham Rees, The Cyclopædia:
    • One and All is the motto of the County of Cornwall, used below the coat-of-arms, which is a shield embracing fifteen bezants, or golden roundels, on a black ground; [...]. 1941 December, “The Why and the Wherefore: Cornish names of G.W.R. locomotives”, in Railway Magazine, page 575:
  12. (countable, qualifier:sculpture, uncountable) A flat surface upon which figures are raised in relief.
  13. (countable, qualifier:point lace, uncountable) The net of small meshes upon which the embroidered pattern is applied.
    • Brussels ground
  14. (countable, qualifier:etching, uncountable) A gummy substance 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.
  15. (countable, in-plural, uncountable) One of the pieces of wood, flush with the plastering, to which mouldings etc. are attached.
    • Grounds are usually put up first and the plastering floated flush with them.
  16. (UK, countable) A soccer stadium.
    • Manchester United's ground is known as Old Trafford.
  17. (countable, uncountable) An electrical conductor connected to the earth, or a large conductor whose electrical potential is taken as zero (such as a steel chassis).
    • А ground may be undesirable, inadvertent, or accidental path taken by an electrical current; or it may be the deliberate provision of conductors well connected to the ground by means of plates buried therein, or similar device. 1961, “GROUND”, in The International Dictionary of Physics and Electronics, 2nd edition, Princeton, NJ: D. Van Nostrand, page 539:
  18. (Philippines, countable, uncountable) Electric shock.
  19. (countable) The area of grass on which a match is played (a cricket field); the entire arena in which it is played; the part of the field behind a batsman's popping crease where he can not be run out (hence to make one's ground).
  20. (countable, uncountable) A composition in which the bass, consisting of a few bars of independent notes, is continually repeated to a varying melody.
  21. (countable, uncountable) The tune on which descants are raised; the plain song.
    • Buck[ingham] The Mayor is here at hand; pretend ſome fear, // Be not you ſpoke with, but by mighty ſuit; // And look you get a prayer-book in your hand, // And ſtand between two churchmen, good my lord, // For on that ground I’ll build a holy deſcant: // And be not eaſily won to our requeſts: // Play the maid’s part, ſtill anſwer nay, and take it. c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene vii]:
  22. (countable, uncountable) The pit of a theatre.
    • the understanding gentlemen o' the ground here ask'd my judgment 1614 November 10 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), Beniamin Iohnson [i.e., Ben Jonson], Bartholmew Fayre: A Comedie, […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Robert Allot, […], published 1631, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
  23. (India, countable, obsolete, uncountable) Synonym of munny (“land measure”).
    • It is sub-divided into annas (or 16ths), of 3,600 square feet each; or when the land is for building purposes, into grounds (munnies) of 1/24 of a cawny each, as in the town of Madras. 1885, Manual of the Administration of the Madras Presidency, page 515:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
grounds Number=Plur lexicographic
GND alternative, contraction, used in electronics lexicographic

Deriveds

gill-go-by-the-ground · ground-man · background · ground signal · groundsman · ground forces · ship-to-ground · ground and pound · ground-breaking · battleground · ground-work · thick on the ground · Saint Croix ground lizard · off the ground · ground-to-air · cut the ground from under someone's feet · absorbent ground · Battle Ground · groundstroke · run into the ground · ground-hog · ground station · ground meristem · break new ground · thin on the ground · centerground · microground · ground set · ground plate · on the ground · groundpecker · groundhopper · ground wire · groundworm · spawning ground · ground ivy · ground staff · ground cable · ground cover · aboveground · Overground · ground rent · ground-stroke · bring to ground · ground effect · ground speed · ground fire · ground loop · groundwall · in the ground · groundfire · hit the ground running · groundlaying · ground cruncher · ground plane · open ground · groundbait · ground tissue · groundstaff · Skinner's ground mantis · ground substance · ground moraine · facts on the ground · byground · put facts on the ground · drill ground · ground frost · groundwave · ground-floor · ground game · ground fir · ruddy ground dove · urgrund · ground dove · groundsheet · Tom Tidler's ground · ground-shaker · ground control point · figure and ground · midground · ground beetle · moral low ground · honeycomb ground · battle ground · ground roller · hunting ground · rufous-vented ground-cuckoo · prepare the ground · ground cherry · make ground · ground hog · groundwards · ground fog · ground noise · Brussels wire ground · hardground · ground pear · ground clearance · groundly · out ground · ground-to-ground · ground berry · nesting ground · Tommy Tiddler's ground · ground clutter · ground proximity warning system · playground · groundfish · ground handling · groundmass · bootleg ground · ground stop · sportsground · on one's own ground · ground pangolin · recreation ground · groundhopping · level to the ground · ground-zero · floating ground · ground stroke · groundcrew · dead ground · soften up the ground · ground control · ground bailiff · ground-mist · ground score · ground food · air-to-ground · schoolground · ground cloth · groundplan · gain-ground · cumber-ground · ear to the ground · Brussels ground · ground pounder · ground tyrant · ground bass · groundy · groundswell · soften the ground · ground finch · groundling · cumberground · lost ground · ground angling · native ground · work into the ground · ground out · shift one's ground · nonground · groundless · groundrow · run to ground · stand-your-ground law · fall on stony ground · ground wallah · bedground · groundwater · ground itch · ground pine · ground rule · centreground · ground squirrel · suit down to the ground · ground-rule · fireground · sandgrounder · ground fish · ground cuckoo · on shaky ground · underground · groundsel · ground breaker · bora ground · groundbreaker · ground truth · ground-plan · tactile ground surface indicator · drive something into the ground · ground hornbill · groundwood · ground bar · ground row · groundline · groundstone · shift ground · put in the ground · sea-ground · stand one's ground · ground tackle · groundmist · groundwork · the ground up · groundnut · ground plan · ground-glass · aground · fall to the ground · ground-ivy · standing ground · grounder · ground cedar · fishing ground · ground provisions · on solid ground · ground spider · ground lamella · feet on the ground · ground agama · burying ground · tenterground · happy hunting ground · best on ground · ground pea · go to ground · Underground · ground-to-ship · groundscraper · ground state · ground troops · groundage · know someone from a hole in the ground · groundbreaking · ground man · foreground · ground swell · ground floor · Brehm's ground parrot · cumber ground · ground snake · ground water · overground · ground zero · ground wave · ground hemlock · know one's ass from a hole in the ground · groundlubber · ground truthing · groundward · ground elder · ground sense · middle-ground · groundhog · eyeground · ground-chestnut · groundside · groundsill · worship the ground someone walks on · kiss the ground someone walks on · ground fault · ground blizzard · nuisance ground · ground power · outground · English terms starting with · rooted to the ground · ground babbler · ground mist · ground laurel · drive into the ground · cover ground · clear the ground · get off the ground · ground ball · ground ice · groundburst · boots on the ground · cloud-to-ground · ground crew · ground shark · barren-ground caribou · on familiar ground · ground robin · groundshare · wasteground · groundpig · hold one's ground · eyes on the ground · ground plum · ground rattlesnake · dumping ground · groundspeed · above-ground · ground failure · belowground · know the difference between one's ass and a hole in the ground · above ground · ground cypress · groundcloth · ground level · archery ground · run to the ground · ground sloth · know one's head from a hole in the ground · ground frame · gill-over-the-ground · groundworker · groundcherry

Descendants

graun

Hyponyms

campground · high ground · lose ground · middle ground · shooting ground · home ground · solid ground · parade ground · fairground · training ground · picnic ground · break ground · vantage ground · neutral ground · give ground · testing ground · common ground · showground · singing ground · gain ground · proving ground · stomping ground · burial ground · pleasure ground · cricket ground · sports ground · teeing ground · camping ground · stamping ground · school ground · cumber ground · moral high ground · breeding ground

Relateds

terra firma · groin · groundless · grounded · floor

Synonyms

earth · munny

Translations (334)

cs země (surface of the Earth) · kea txon (soil, earth) · fr terre (soil, earth) · be зямля́ (surface of the Earth) · alt јер (surface of the Earth) · pt fundo (bottom of a body of water) · id tanah (soil, earth) · hu föld (surface of the Earth) · gd ùir (soil, earth) · ang eorþe (surface of the Earth) · fi peruste (reason, justification, cause) · toi ansi (surface of the Earth) · fi ympäristö (background, context, framework, surroundings) · az torpaq (soil, earth) · de Boden (surface of the Earth) · el βυθός (bottom of a body of water) · sh zèmlja (surface of the Earth) · de Erde (soil, earth) · fy grûn (surface of the Earth) · fi maa (place suited to a specified activity) · ko 바탕 (background, context, framework, surroundings) · ar أَرْض (surface of the Earth) · ca terra (surface of the Earth) · ga bonn (background, context, framework, surroundings) · ky жер (surface of the Earth) · oj ᐊᑭ (surface of the Earth) · mk земја (surface of the Earth) · fi kari (bottom of a body of water) · grc ἔδαφος (soil, earth) · ru грунт (surface of the Earth) · sk pôda (soil, earth) · ota طوپراق (soil, earth) · gl terra (soil, earth) · ko 바탕 (basis, foundation, groundwork) · bg фон (background, context, framework, surroundings) · pl baza (basis, foundation, groundwork) · el έδαφος (basis, foundation, groundwork) · bg осно́ва (basis, foundation, groundwork) · it dintorni (background, context, framework, surroundings) · lmw jówa (soil, earth) · bg по́чва (soil, earth) · txb keṃ (surface of the Earth) · rup pimintu (soil, earth) · hy հող (soil, earth) · ko 접지 (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · be дно (bottom of a body of water) · es fondo (basis, foundation, groundwork) · fa-ira زَمین (surface of the Earth) · cu дъно (bottom of a body of water) · ga páirc (football stadium) · goh grunt (surface of the Earth) · it terra (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · sv mark (surface of the Earth) · ro sol (surface of the Earth) · fi tausta (sculpture: flat surface upon which figures are raised in relief) · hu futballpálya (football stadium) · eo tero (surface of the Earth) · gd talamh (soil, earth) · he קַרְקַע (surface of the Earth) · sl zemlja (surface of the Earth) · nl aarde (soil, earth) · fi pohja (bottom of a body of water) · hu talaj (soil, earth) · km ដី (surface of the Earth) · nv niʼ (surface of the Earth) · ja 地線 (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · grc χθών (soil, earth) · nl ondergrond (basis, foundation, groundwork) · ja(soil, earth) · az torpağa birşəldirilmə (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · hil duta (surface of the Earth) · roa-opt chão (surface of the Earth) · mnc ᠨᠠ (surface of the Earth) · alt тобрак (surface of the Earth) · cmn 接地 (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · fi permanto (pit of a theatre) · nl grond (surface of the Earth) · pl podstawa (basis, foundation, groundwork) · ru фон (background, context, framework, surroundings) · el έδαφος (surface of the Earth) · fi kehys (background, context, framework, surroundings) · ru грунт (soil, earth) · bg земя́ (soil, earth) · pl ziemia (soil, earth) · ca camp (football stadium) · pdt Ieed (soil, earth) · ar أَرْض (soil, earth) · az yerlə birləşdirmə (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · ro pământ (soil, earth) · ru дно (bottom of a body of water) · hu föld (soil, earth) · izh maa (soil, earth) · pt chão (surface of the Earth) · az dib (bottom of a body of water) · bg ба́за (basis, foundation, groundwork) · ru заземле́ние (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · cop ⲓⲧⲉⲛ (surface of the Earth) · fr base (basis, foundation, groundwork) · de Hintergrund (background, context, framework, surroundings) · fi maski (etching: gummy substance spread over the surface of a metal to be etched) · ota تراب (soil, earth) · ur زَمِین (surface of the Earth) · gag er (surface of the Earth) · dlm tiara (soil, earth) · fi maasto (place suited to a specified activity) · bg дъ́но (bottom of a body of water) · hu pálya (football stadium) · sk dno (bottom of a body of water) · hu fenék (bottom of a body of water) · hi ज़मीन (soil, earth) · fi syy (advantage given or gained in any contest) · uga 𐎀𐎗𐎕 (soil, earth) · sk základ (basis, foundation, groundwork) · sh зѐмља (surface of the Earth) · ca fons (bottom of a body of water) · jv siti (soil, earth) · cmn(surface of the Earth) · tl lupa (surface of the Earth) · mhr аварок (soil, earth) · sv jord (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · fi jalkapallostadion (football stadium) · de Erdreich (soil, earth) · fi perusta (basis, foundation, groundwork) · pl ziemia (surface of the Earth) · lmo tera (soil, earth) · pt aterramento (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · ko 테두리 (background, context, framework, surroundings) · nl bodem (surface of the Earth) · om lafa (surface of the Earth) · fr sol (surface of the Earth) · pt solo (soil, earth) · ko(soil, earth) · bg заземя́ване (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · fa-ira زَمین (soil, earth) · ko 바닥 (bottom of a body of water) · ja(surface of the Earth) · fr terre (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · hu tengerfenék (bottom of a body of water) · es campo de futbol (football stadium) · it campo (football stadium) · ce латта (surface of the Earth) · es huello (surface of the Earth) · ur زَمِین (soil, earth) · ru ба́за (basis, foundation, groundwork) · ccc c̈hijta (surface of the Earth) · mk дно (bottom of a body of water) · es suelo (surface of the Earth) · fi taistelukenttä (historical: area on which a battle is fought) · sv grund (surface of the Earth) · txb keṃ (soil, earth) · mnc ᡶᠠᠯᠠᠨ (surface of the Earth) · de Land (surface of the Earth) · wyi naRap (surface of the Earth) · de Erde (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · scn solu (surface of the Earth) · it superficie (surface of the Earth) · sv jord (soil, earth) · pl dno (bottom of a body of water) · gl chan (soil, earth) · no bakke (surface of the Earth) · it fondo (bottom of a body of water) · fr terrain de football (football stadium) · jv siti (surface of the Earth) · fi syy (reason, justification, cause) · izh gruntti (soil, earth) · fr terrain (football stadium) · az əsas (basis, foundation, groundwork) · be зямля́ (soil, earth) · ru земля́ (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · az fon (background, context, framework, surroundings) · sq toka (soil, earth) · pt solo (surface of the Earth) · ht(soil, earth) · es polo a tierra (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · ar مَلْعَب كُرَة قَدَم (football stadium) · la solum (surface of the Earth) · de Erde (surface of the Earth) · ga talamh (bottom of a body of water) · bg тере́н (football stadium) · ga sreang thalmhaithe (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · hi भूतल (surface of the Earth) · grc ἔδαφος (surface of the Earth) · hy հիմք (basis, foundation, groundwork) · cmn 接地線 /接地线 (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · ta போர்க்களம் (historical: area on which a battle is fought) · lo ດິນ (surface of the Earth) · nl aarding (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · egy tA:N23*Z1 (surface of the Earth) · ko 접지선 (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · tl sayad (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · pl grunt (bottom of a body of water) · ta மைதானம் (place suited to a specified activity) · ko 토양 (soil, earth) · de Grund (bottom of a body of water) · de Boden (soil, earth) · ja(surface of the Earth) · cmn(soil, earth) · ru земля́ (surface of the Earth) · el έδαφος (soil, earth) · fi maa (soil, earth) · pdt Ieed (surface of the Earth) · fi maaperä (soil, earth) · hu háttér (background, context, framework, surroundings) · sv jordledare (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · ota ارض (soil, earth) · sq dhe (soil, earth) · uk дно (bottom of a body of water) · ko 어어드 (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · sh dnȍ (bottom of a body of water) · de Masseleitung (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · sv bakgrund (background, context, framework, surroundings) · nl achtergrond (background, context, framework, surroundings) · grc γῆ (soil, earth) · sv mark (soil, earth) · cs základ (basis, foundation, groundwork) · cmn(bottom of a body of water) · dng ди (surface of the Earth) · mt art (soil, earth) · az torpaqalama (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · de Erdung (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · mba bugta (surface of the Earth) · fi maajohdin (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · pt terra (soil, earth) · sc terra (soil, earth) · fi runko (background, context, framework, surroundings) · ko(surface of the Earth) · hy հատակ (bottom of a body of water) · hu földelés (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · fr terre (surface of the Earth) · it terra (soil, earth) · es toma de tierra (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · sh дно̏ (bottom of a body of water) · cmn(soil, earth) · he קרקע (surface of the Earth) · fur tiere (soil, earth) · be грунт (surface of the Earth) · sl dno (bottom of a body of water) · hu alap (background, context, framework, surroundings) · it massa (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · orv дъно (bottom of a body of water) · xto tkaṃ (soil, earth) · hi ज़मीन (surface of the Earth) · ro împământare (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · it base (basis, foundation, groundwork) · is grund (surface of the Earth) · ja 接地 (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · tr yer (surface of the Earth) · ka ხმელეთი (surface of the Earth) · hy գետին (surface of the Earth) · az yer (surface of the Earth) · el γείωση (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · cmn 土壤 (soil, earth) · fi puitteet (background, context, framework, surroundings) · ru земля́ (soil, earth) · pdt Grunt (surface of the Earth) · sv grund (basis, foundation, groundwork) · uli bool (surface of the Earth) · wyi biik (surface of the Earth) · ka მიწა (surface of the Earth) · cmn 地線 /地线 (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · da grund (surface of the Earth) · mi papa whenua (background, context, framework, surroundings) · cmn 底部 (bottom of a body of water) · oj aki (surface of the Earth) · ru по́чва (soil, earth) · fi maa (surface of the Earth) · nl grond (soil, earth) · ang eorþe (soil, earth) · pl gleba (soil, earth) · ca punt de terra (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · th ดิน (soil, earth) · xto tkaṃ (surface of the Earth) · pt fundamento (basis, foundation, groundwork) · de Masseverbindung (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · de Erdboden (surface of the Earth) · fi maa (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · th ดิน (surface of the Earth) · apw niʼ (surface of the Earth) · uk ґрунт (surface of the Earth) · khb ᦡᦲᧃ (surface of the Earth) · km ដី (soil, earth) · ka მიწა (soil, earth) · cs dno (bottom of a body of water) · njo-jgl ali (surface of the Earth) · pl grunt (surface of the Earth) · ru по́ле (football stadium) · az zəmin (background, context, framework, surroundings) · ang grund (bottom of a body of water) · pt terra (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · ko(soil, earth) · uga 𐎀𐎗𐎕 (surface of the Earth) · fi maanpinta (surface of the Earth) · sv backe (surface of the Earth) · it suolo (surface of the Earth) · pl uziemienie (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · ga talamh (soil, earth) · tg замин (surface of the Earth) · it fondamenta (basis, foundation, groundwork) · de Grund (surface of the Earth) · nl bodem (bottom of a body of water) · ca sòl (surface of the Earth) · ka ნიადაგი (soil, earth) · my မြေ (soil, earth) · sk zem (soil, earth) · lmw jówa (surface of the Earth) · mk зе́мја (soil, earth) · uk земля́ (surface of the Earth) · de Grundfeste (basis, foundation, groundwork) · fr masse (electrical conductor connected to point of zero potential) · hu alap (basis, foundation, groundwork) · fr fondation (basis, foundation, groundwork) · ga talamh (surface of the Earth) · ru осно́ва (basis, foundation, groundwork) · dlm tara (soil, earth) · om dachee (surface of the Earth) · fr fond (bottom of a body of water) · lo ດິນ (soil, earth) · fi tausta (plain surface upon which the figures of an artistic composition are set) · sq faqja (surface of the Earth) · ang grund (basis, foundation, groundwork) · ja(soil, earth) · bal زمین (surface of the Earth) · bg земя́ (surface of the Earth) · pt campo (football stadium) · jv lemah (soil, earth) · fi perustus (basis, foundation, groundwork) · sk zem (surface of the Earth) · ur بُھوتَل (surface of the Earth) · sa भूतल (surface of the Earth) · ja 土壌 (soil, earth) · yxg dhagun (surface of the Earth) · oc tèrra (soil, earth) · ro pământ (surface of the Earth) · jv lemah (surface of the Earth)

wikidata: Q6501125

ground en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /ɡɹʊnd/ (Northumbria)
  • (Australia) audio
  • (General-American) audio
  • /ɡɹaʊnd/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʰrem- Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *grunduz Old English grund Middle English ground English ground From Middle English ground, from Old English grund, from Proto-West Germanic *grundu, from Proto-Germanic *grunduz. Cognate with West Frisian grûn, Dutch grond and German Grund. (to punish): Compare (to bring) down to earth, to come down to earth.

Meanings

  1. (US, transitive) To connect (an electrical conductor or device) to a ground.
    • These geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) can become a hazard when they flow through conducting infrastructure, usually entering and exiting networks where equipment is grounded to Earth. 2023 November 15, Prof. Jim Wild, “This train was delayed because of bad weather in space”, in RAIL, number 996, page 30:
  2. (Philippines, transitive) To electrocute.
  3. (transitive) To punish, especially a child or teenager, by forcing them to stay at home and/or give up certain privileges.
    • My kids are currently grounded from television.
    • Eric, you are grounded until further notice for lying to us about where you were last night!
    • If you don't clean your room, I'll have no choice but to ground you.
  4. (transitive) To forbid (an aircraft or pilot) to fly.
    • Because of the bad weather, all flights were grounded.
  5. (transitive) To give a basic education in a particular subject; to instruct in elements or first principles.
    • Jim was grounded in maths.
  6. To place a bat or part of the body on the ground to avoid being run out.
  7. To hit a ground ball. Compare fly (verb (regular)) and line (verb).
    • [Ichiro Suzuki] went 0 for 4, popping out in foul territory, grounding out to second, and striking out looking. And then, in the top of the eighth inning with a runner on second, the “True Hit King” grounded out to short, just barely failing to beat it out. 2019 March 21, Chris Cwik, “Ichiro Suzuki Goes Out in Style, Retires After Series in Japan”, in Yahoo! Sports:
    • The Twins scored three times in the eighth to make it 9-4 and loaded the bases with no outs. Jeurys Familia got Willians Astudillo to ground into a double play, limiting the damage. 2019 April 10, Ben Walker (AP), “Twins Pitchers Go Wild, Syndergaard and Mets Stroll 9-6”, in Yahoo! Sports, archived from the original on 11 Apr 2019:
  8. (transitive) To place something on the ground.
  9. (intransitive) To run aground; to strike the bottom and remain fixed.
    • The ship grounded on the bar.
  10. To found; to fix or set, as on a foundation, reason, or principle; to furnish a ground for; to fix firmly.
    • being rooted and grounded in love 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ephesians 3:17:
    • So far from warranting any inference to the existence of a God, would, on the contrary, ground even an argument to his negation. a. 1857, William Hamilton, edited by H[enry] L[ongueville] Mansel and John Veitch, Lectures on Metaphysics and Logic […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, published 1859–1860, →OCLC:
  11. (qualifier:fine arts) To cover with a ground, as a copper plate for etching, or as paper or other materials with a uniform tint as a preparation for ornament.
  12. (transitive) To improve or focus the mental or emotional state of.
    • I ground myself with meditation.
  13. (qualifier:machine learning, transitive) To complement a machine learning model with relevant information it was not trained on.
    • We design WikiChat (Figure 1) to ground LLMs using Wikipedia to achieve the following objectives. While LLMs tend to hallucinate, our chatbot should be factual. 2023, Sina J. Semnani, Violet Z. Yao, Heidi C. Zhang, Monica S. Lam, “WikiChat: A Few-Shot LLM-Based Chatbot Grounded with Wikipedia”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):
    • But the technology has evolved rapidly over the past year or so. Today’s systems can incorporate real-time search and use increasingly sophisticated methods for “grounding”—connecting AI outputs to specific, verifiable knowledge and sourced analysis. 2025 May 9, Mike Caulfield, “AI Is Not Your Friend”, in The Atlantic:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
grounded Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
grounded Tense=Past lexicographic
GND alternative, contraction, used in electronics lexicographic
grounds Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
grounding Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Deriveds

misground · reground · groundation · unground · grounation · groundable

Synonyms

gate · earth

Translations (32)

pt castigar (to require a child to remain at home) · fi määrätä lentokieltoon (to forbid an aircraft or pilot to fly) · cs dát domácí vězení (to require a child to remain at home) · pt deixar de castigo (to require a child to remain at home) · nl huisarrest geven (to require a child to remain at home) · pl uziemiać (to forbid an aircraft or pilot to fly) · fr punir (to require a child to remain at home) · sv ge utegångsförbud (to require a child to remain at home) · fi pistää kotiarestiin (to require a child to remain at home) · sv ställa på marken (to forbid an aircraft or pilot to fly) · nl een vliegverbod opleggen (to forbid an aircraft or pilot to fly) · hu eltilt (to require a child to remain at home) · hu büntetésből eltilt (to require a child to remain at home) · fi oppia perusteet (to gain a basic education of a particular subject) · hu büntetést ad (to require a child to remain at home) · fi pistää arestiin (to require a child to remain at home) · fr gronder (to require a child to remain at home) · sv belägga med flygförbud (to forbid an aircraft or pilot to fly) · hu repüléstől eltilt (to forbid an aircraft or pilot to fly) · pl uziemić (to forbid an aircraft or pilot to fly) · az evdən çıxmaq qadağan etmək (to require a child to remain at home) · de Startverbot erteilen (to forbid an aircraft or pilot to fly) · az evdən çıxmağı qadağan etmək (to require a child to remain at home) · hu felszállást letilt (to forbid an aircraft or pilot to fly) · sv ge husarrest (to require a child to remain at home) · hu szobafogságra ítél (to require a child to remain at home) · de Hausarrest geben (to require a child to remain at home) · fr clouer au sol (to forbid an aircraft or pilot to fly) · es castigar (to require a child to remain at home) · az evdən çıxmasını qadağan etmək (to require a child to remain at home) · hu megbüntet (to require a child to remain at home) · hu nem enged felszállni (to forbid an aircraft or pilot to fly)

ground en · ADJ · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • /ɡɹʊnd/ (Northumbria)
  • (Australia) audio
  • (General-American) audio
  • /ɡɹaʊnd/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Inflected form of grind. See also milled.

Meanings

  1. (not-comparable) Crushed, or reduced to small particles.
    • The intestinal contents of F. Stellifer seem finely ground in comparison to those of F. catenatus, probably as a result of chewing with the stout pharyngeal molars. 1969, Tulane Studies in Zoology and Botany, volume 16, page 16:
    • ground mustard seed
    • Alike, joy and sorrow, hope and fear, seemed ground to finest dust, and powdered, for the time, in the clamped mortar of Ahab's iron soul. 1851, Herman Melville, Moby Dick:
    • Powder mixing and grinding are complete when the powder is homogenous and grey-black in color, appears finely ground, and feels smooth. 2018, S Sivakumar, E Zwier, PB Meisenheimer…, “Bulk and Thin Film Synthesis of Compositionally Variant Entropy-stabilized Oxides”, in Journal of Visualized Experiments:
  2. (not-comparable) Processed by grinding.
    • An advantage of such a finishing tool is that, after the machining, the workpiece has high surface quality. The surface which is produced appears finely ground to polished by means of this procedure. 2018, H Glimpel, HJ Lauffer, A Bremstahler, Finishing Tool, In Particular End Milling Cutter, US Patent App. 15/764,739
    • the traces of wear have the appearance of dull patches that look ground. 1985, Sergeĭ Aristarkhovich Semenov, Prehistoric Technology: An Experimental Study of the Oldest Tools and Artefacts from Traces of Manufacture and Wear, page 14:
    • The axial perforation, the handle socket and the quern base are all rough and do not appear ground or polished 2000, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, page 258:
    • lenses of ground glass

Deriveds

stoneground · misground · unground · preground · ground pepper · ground beef · ground meat · ground glass

Descendants

graun · garaund · gron · grawnd

Synonyms

milled

Translations (28)

az döymə (crushed or reduced to small particles) · la molitus (crushed or reduced to small particles) · grc ἀλητός (crushed or reduced to small particles) · xal үүлсн (crushed or reduced to small particles) · es cueshte (crushed or reduced to small particles) · pl mielony (crushed or reduced to small particles) · lt maltas (crushed or reduced to small particles) · cs mletý (crushed or reduced to small particles) · gl moído (crushed or reduced to small particles) · fr moulu (crushed or reduced to small particles) · hu őrölt (crushed or reduced to small particles) · fr haché (crushed or reduced to small particles) · fi jauhettu (crushed or reduced to small particles) · el αλεσμένος (crushed or reduced to small particles) · bg смлян (crushed or reduced to small particles) · ca mòlt (crushed or reduced to small particles) · sh mljeven (crushed or reduced to small particles) · sv mald (crushed or reduced to small particles) · es picado (crushed or reduced to small particles) · ru мо́лотый (crushed or reduced to small particles) · it macinato (crushed or reduced to small particles) · uk ме́лений (crushed or reduced to small particles) · hu darált (crushed or reduced to small particles) · es molido (crushed or reduced to small particles) · de gemahlen (crushed or reduced to small particles) · gl mudo (crushed or reduced to small particles) · sa पिष्ट (crushed or reduced to small particles) · pt moído (crushed or reduced to small particles)

ground en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • /ɡɹʊnd/ (Northumbria)
  • (Australia) audio
  • (General-American) audio
  • /ɡɹaʊnd/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Inflected form of grind. See also milled.

Meanings

  1. (form-of, participle, past) simple past and past participle of grind
    form of grind
    • I ground the coffee up nicely.