# groom

/ˈɡɹum/ (US) · /ɡɹˈuːm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/groom
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. wedding

noun · CEFR A2

a man on his wedding day or just before it.

For teachers: a man who is about to be married or has just been married.

- The groom looked very nervous as he waited for the bride to arrive.
- The groom stood at the altar, adjusting his tie while his best man offered a few quiet words of encouragement.

### 2. horse caretaker

noun · CEFR B1

a person whose job is to take care of horses.

For teachers: a person employed to tend, feed, and clean horses.

- The groom spent the morning brushing the horses and cleaning the stables.
- After the race, the head groom checked the stallion's hooves and ensured it was properly cooled down before returning to the stall.

### 3. to clean an animal

verb · CEFR B1

to clean and brush an animal, like a dog or a horse.

For teachers: to clean and maintain the coat of an animal by brushing or washing.

- You should groom your dog regularly to keep its fur healthy and shiny.
- Professional handlers groom their show dogs for hours to ensure every hair is perfectly in place before the competition begins.

### 4. to prepare someone

verb · CEFR B2

to prepare someone for a specific job or a high position in the future.

For teachers: to prepare or train someone for a particular purpose, activity, or professional role.

- The company is grooming her to take over as the next manager.
- The senator had been grooming his daughter for a political career since she graduated from law school.

### 5. personal hygiene

verb · CEFR B2

to clean yourself and make your hair and clothes look neat.

For teachers: to attend to one's own personal appearance and hygiene.

- He spent a long time in the bathroom grooming himself before the big date.
- The cat spent the entire afternoon grooming itself on the sunny windowsill, meticulously licking its paws and fur.

### 6. predatory behavior

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to build a relationship with a younger person to trick or hurt them later.

For teachers: to establish a trusting emotional connection with a minor or vulnerable person with the intent of sexual exploitation.

- The police warned parents about how criminals use social media to groom children.
- The prosecution argued that the defendant used online forums to groom several victims over a period of many months before meeting them in person.

## Examples

- The groom looks very happy in his wedding suit.
- The groom waited nervously at the front of the church for the ceremony to begin.
- While the bride spent the morning with her bridesmaids, the groom and his best man ensured that all the guests were seated according to the seating chart.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.