gross
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.very unpleasant to look at, smell, or think about.
adj.causing strong dislike or disgust. Frequently used in informal speech to react to something physically repulsive.
Simple“Don't put your dirty feet on the dinner table, that's gross.”
In context“The children made a series of gross faces when they were told that the local delicacy consisted of fermented fish and insects.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.the total amount of something before anything, like tax, is taken away.
adj.representing the total amount of something before any deductions, such as taxes or expenses, have been subtracted.
Simple“Her gross salary is fifty thousand dollars, but she takes home much less.”
In context“The company reported a significant increase in gross profit, though rising operational costs meant the net income remained relatively flat.”
UsageUsually placed before the noun it modifies.
- 03 C1 Advanced
adj.extremely bad and easy to see, especially regarding a mistake or bad behavior.
adj.conspicuously and outrageously bad or offensive; used to describe errors, negligence, or violations of standards.
Simple“The company was sued for gross negligence after the accident at the factory.”
In context“The report highlighted a gross violation of safety protocols that had been ignored by the management for several years.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
adj.visible to the naked eye; not needing a microscope to see.
adj.relating to the large-scale structure or appearance of something, as opposed to its microscopic details.
Simple“The doctor examined the gross anatomy of the organ before taking a sample.”
In context“While the gross features of the landscape are visible from the air, the unique mineral compositions require laboratory analysis.”
SynonymsmacroscopicAntonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
n.a group of 144 things (twelve dozen).
n.a unit of quantity equal to twelve dozen or 144 items.
Simple“The school ordered five gross of pencils for the new term.”
In context“The wholesaler delivered ten gross of glass vials, which should be sufficient to meet the laboratory's requirements for the next quarter.”
UsageThe plural form is often just 'gross' when used after a number.
- 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to earn a total amount of money before costs are paid.
v.to earn a particular amount of money as total profit or income before tax and other costs are deducted.
Simple“The new superhero movie grossed over one hundred million dollars in its first weekend.”
In context“Despite the mixed critical reception, the summer blockbuster is expected to gross enough internationally to justify a sequel.”
Usage gross domestic
“In only its third week of release, Brand New Day has become the eighth highest grossing film of all time (unadjusted for inflation), and surpassed $2bn in ticket sales.”
“Although reviews were not especially positive, it grossed almost $800m.”
* As a Jewish and German surname, from groß (“great, large”). The Jewish surname was influenced by Hebrew גדול (“big, large”), hence the Hebraicization Gadol. * As an English surname, from the noun and adjective gross, a doublet of above. The village is named after Ben Gross, who kept a general store there.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.