grind

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to rub two hard surfaces together, often making a sharp or unpleasant noise.

v. to rub two surfaces together with friction, often resulting in a grating sound or wear.

“Some people grind their teeth while they are sleeping because of stress.”

“The rusted gears began to grind against each other, producing a high-pitched screech that echoed through the factory.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal

v. to work or study very hard for a long time without stopping.

v. to perform repetitive, laborious tasks over a sustained period to achieve a goal.

“She had to grind for weeks to finish her thesis before the deadline.”

“In the weeks leading up to the bar exam, he would grind in the library from dawn until well past midnight.”

C1 · Advanced Computing Slang

v. to perform the same actions many times in a video game to get rewards or level up.

v. to engage in repetitive gameplay loops for the purpose of accumulating experience points or virtual currency.

“I spent all weekend grinding for enough gold to buy the new armor.”

“The game's progression system forces players to grind low-level missions for hours to unlock the final boss encounter.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal

n. a difficult or boring routine that you have to do every day.

n. a laborious or monotonous routine of work or activity.

“The daily grind of commuting to the city can be very exhausting.”

“After twenty years in the corporate world, she decided to quit the daily grind and open a small bakery in her hometown.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Cooking Technical

n. the size of the pieces after something has been crushed.

n. the specific size or texture of particles produced by a grinding process.

“This coffee machine requires a very fine grind to work properly.”

“The chef insisted on a coarse grind for the black pepper to provide a more rustic texture to the steak.”

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Sports Slang

n. a trick where a skateboarder slides along an edge or a rail.

n. a maneuver in which a skateboard or snowboard slides along an obstacle using the trucks or the board's surface.

“He performed a perfect grind along the handrail in front of the library.”

“The skater lost his balance mid-grind and tumbled onto the concrete, narrowly avoiding a serious injury.”