ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ground

n. · v. · adj.
US //ˈɡɹaʊnd// UK //ɡɹˈaʊnd// ground
  1. 1 the earth's surface (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    the solid surface of the earth that you walk on.

    the surface of the Earth, distinguished from the air or water.

    Example

    The children sat on the ground to eat their picnic lunch.

    Example

    The hikers were forced to sleep on the cold, damp ground after their tent was swept away by the gale.
  2. 2 soil or earth (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the dirt or soil in the earth where plants grow.

    the top layer of earth in which plants grow; soil.

    Example

    The gardener dug a hole in the hard ground to plant the tree.

    Example

    The heavy rainfall turned the parched ground into a thick mire, making it impossible for the heavy machinery to move.
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  1. 3 reasons or justification (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a good reason for saying, doing, or believing something.

    the logical or legal basis for an action, belief, or argument; often used in the plural.

    Example

    The company had legal grounds to fire the employee for stealing.

    Example

    The appeal was dismissed because the lawyers failed to provide sufficient grounds for a retrial based on new evidence.
  2. 4 an area for a purpose (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    an area of land used for a specific activity, like sports.

    an area of land designated for a particular purpose or activity.

    Example

    The school has a large sports ground for football and cricket.

    Example

    The historic estate includes extensive hunting grounds and a meticulously maintained botanical garden.
  3. 5 electrical safety (n.)
    C1 Advanced American English Technical Science

    a wire that connects an electrical circuit to the earth for safety.

    a conducting connection between an electrical circuit and the earth or some conducting body that serves in place of the earth.

    Example

    Make sure the appliance has a proper ground to avoid a shock.

    Example

    The technician identified a faulty ground in the circuit board, which had been causing intermittent power surges.

    Usage

    In British English, this is usually called 'earth'.
  4. 6 to punish a child (v.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    to punish a child by not letting them go out with friends.

    to restrict a child or teenager to the house as a disciplinary measure.

    Example

    My parents grounded me for a week because I came home late.

    Example

    After he was caught skipping school, his parents grounded him and confiscated his phone for the duration of the semester.
  5. 7 to stop a plane from flying (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to prevent an aircraft or a pilot from flying.

    to prohibit an aircraft or pilot from taking flight, often due to safety or weather concerns.

    Example

    The airline grounded all flights because of the thick fog.

    Example

    The aviation authority grounded the entire fleet of jets pending a thorough investigation into the engine failure.
  6. 8 to base on facts (v.)
    C1 Advanced Academic

    to base an idea or argument on firm facts or reasons.

    to establish a firm basis or foundation for a theory, argument, or person's education.

    Example

    The course will ground you in the basic principles of physics.

    Example

    The researcher grounded her claims in extensive empirical data collected over a five-year longitudinal study.
  7. 9 crushed into powder (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Cooking

    broken into very small pieces or powder.

    reduced to small particles or powder by crushing or milling.

    Example

    I prefer the taste of freshly ground coffee in the morning.

    Example

    The recipe calls for a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to enhance the flavour of the batter.
Etymology 1

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʰrem-der. 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.

Etymology 2

Inflected form of grind. See also milled.

Word family
Idioms27 entries

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