ground floor
The initial stage of a project.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I want to join the project on the ground floor.”
“She invested in the startup early because she wanted to be in on the ground floor.”
“By joining the research team at the ground floor, he gained a unique perspective on the project's evolution and eventual success.”
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common ground
A characteristic or interest shared by multiple people or systems; any belief, etc. held in common.
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ear to the ground
The practice or characteristic of carefully gathering information; a state or mindset of attentiveness.
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eyes on the ground
One or more observers in an area of interest.
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facts on the ground
The situation in reality as opposed to in the abstract.
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floor it
To depress the accelerator to the maximum extent.
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floor one could eat off
An extremely clean floor.
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from the ground up
From the beginning; starting with the basics, foundation, or fundamentals.
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get off the ground
To succeed or begin to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026