GROUND

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does ground mean? 

• GROUND (noun)
  The noun GROUND has 11 senses:

1. the solid part of the earth's surface

2. a rational motive for a belief or action

3. the loose soft material that makes up a large part of the land surface

4. a relation that provides the foundation for something

5. a position to be won or defended in battle (or as if in battle)

6. the part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground

7. material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use)

8. a relatively homogeneous percept extending back of the figure on which attention is focused

9. a connection between an electrical device and a large conducting body, such as the earth (which is taken to be at zero voltage)

10. (art) the surface (as a wall or canvas) prepared to take the paint for a painting

11. the first or preliminary coat of paint or size applied to a surface

  Familiarity information: GROUND used as a noun is familiar.

• GROUND (verb)
  The verb GROUND has 12 senses:

1. fix firmly and stably

2. confine or restrict to the ground

3. place or put on the ground

4. instruct someone in the fundamentals of a subject

5. bring to the ground

6. hit or reach the ground

7. throw to the ground in order to stop play and avoid being tackled behind the line of scrimmage

8. hit a groundball

9. hit onto the ground

10. cover with a primer; apply a primer to

11. connect to a ground

12. use as a basis for; found on

  Familiarity information: GROUND used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GROUND (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The solid part of the earth's surface

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

dry land; earth; ground; land; solid ground; terra firma

Context example:

he dropped the logs on the ground

Hypernyms ("ground" is a kind of...):

object; physical object (a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow)

Part meronym:

earth; globe; world (the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ground"):

slash (an open tract of land in a forest that is strewn with debris from logging (or fire or wind))

wonderland (a place or scene of great or strange beauty or wonder)

champaign; field; plain (extensive tract of level open land)

peninsula (a large mass of land projecting into a body of water)

oxbow (the land inside an oxbow bend in a river)

neck (a narrow elongated projecting strip of land)

mainland (the main land mass of a country or continent; as distinguished from an island or peninsula)

land mass; landmass (a large continuous extent of land)

isthmus (a relatively narrow strip of land (with water on both sides) connecting two larger land areas)

forest; timber; timberland; woodland (land that is covered with trees and shrubs)

foreland (land forming the forward margin of something)

floor (the ground on which people and animals move about)

coastal plain (a plain adjacent to a coast)

cape; ness (a strip of land projecting into a body of water)

beachfront (a strip of land running along a beach)

archipelago (a group of many islands in a large body of water)

island (a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water)

Instance hyponyms:

America (North America and South America and Central America)

Derivation:

ground (hit onto the ground)

ground (throw to the ground in order to stop play and avoid being tackled behind the line of scrimmage)

ground (place or put on the ground)

ground (confine or restrict to the ground)

ground (hit or reach the ground)

ground (bring to the ground)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A rational motive for a belief or action

Classified under:

Nouns denoting goals

Synonyms:

ground; reason

Context example:

the grounds for their declaration

Hypernyms ("ground" is a kind of...):

rational motive (a motive that can be defended by reasoning or logical argument)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ground"):

occasion (reason)

account; score (grounds)

wherefore; why (the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase 'the whys and wherefores')

Derivation:

ground (use as a basis for; found on)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The loose soft material that makes up a large part of the land surface

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

earth; ground

Context example:

they dug into the earth outside the church

Hypernyms ("ground" is a kind of...):

material; stuff (the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ground"):

moraine (accumulated earth and stones deposited by a glacier)

diatomaceous earth; diatomite; kieselguhr (a light soil consisting of siliceous diatom remains and often used as a filtering material)

saprolite (a deposit of clay and disintegrating rock that is found in its original place)

dirt; soil (the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A relation that provides the foundation for something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Synonyms:

basis; footing; ground

Context example:

he worked on an interim basis

Hypernyms ("ground" is a kind of...):

foundation (the basis on which something is grounded)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ground"):

common ground (a basis agreed to by all parties for reaching a mutual understanding)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A position to be won or defended in battle (or as if in battle)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Context example:

they fought to regain the lost ground

Hypernyms ("ground" is a kind of...):

military position; position (a point occupied by troops for tactical reasons)

Sense 6

Meaning:

The part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

background; ground

Context example:

he posed her against a background of rolling hills

Hypernyms ("ground" is a kind of...):

aspect; panorama; prospect; scene; view; vista (the visual percept of a region)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

ground; land; soil

Context example:

good agricultural soil

Hypernyms ("ground" is a kind of...):

object; physical object (a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ground"):

overburden (the surface soil that must be moved away to get at coal seams and mineral deposits)

wetland (a low area where the land is saturated with water)

greensward; sod; sward; turf (surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots)

scablands ((geology) flat elevated land with poor soil and little vegetation that is scarred by dry channels of glacial origin (especially in eastern Washington))

rangeland (land suitable for grazing livestock)

polder (low-lying land that has been reclaimed and is protected by dikes (especially in the Netherlands))

permafrost (ground that is permanently frozen)

cultivated land; farmland; ploughland; plowland; tillage; tilled land; tilth (arable land that is worked by plowing and sowing and raising crops)

coastland (land in a coastal area)

bottom; bottomland (low-lying alluvial land near a river)

badlands (deeply eroded barren land)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A relatively homogeneous percept extending back of the figure on which attention is focused

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("ground" is a kind of...):

percept; perception; perceptual experience (the representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept)

Antonym:

figure (a unitary percept having structure and coherence that is the object of attention and that stands out against a ground)

Sense 9

Meaning:

A connection between an electrical device and a large conducting body, such as the earth (which is taken to be at zero voltage)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

earth; ground

Hypernyms ("ground" is a kind of...):

connecter; connection; connective; connector; connexion (an instrumentality that connects)

Domain category:

electricity (a physical phenomenon associated with stationary or moving electrons and protons)

Derivation:

ground (connect to a ground)

Sense 10

Meaning:

(art) the surface (as a wall or canvas) prepared to take the paint for a painting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("ground" is a kind of...):

surface (the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary)

Domain category:

art; artistic creation; artistic production (the creation of beautiful or significant things)

Sense 11

Meaning:

The first or preliminary coat of paint or size applied to a surface

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

flat coat; ground; primer; primer coat; priming; priming coat; undercoat

Hypernyms ("ground" is a kind of...):

coat of paint (a layer of paint covering something else)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ground"):

couch (a flat coat of paint or varnish used by artists as a primer)

Derivation:

ground (cover with a primer; apply a primer to)

• GROUND (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Fix firmly and stably

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

anchor; ground

Context example:

anchor the lamppost in concrete

Hypernyms (to "ground" is one way to...):

fasten; fix; secure (cause to be firmly attached)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Confine or restrict to the ground

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

After the accident, they grounded the plane and the pilot

Hypernyms (to "ground" is one way to...):

confine; constrain; hold; restrain (to close within bounds, or otherwise limit or deprive of free movement)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

ground (the solid part of the earth's surface)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Place or put on the ground

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "ground" is one way to...):

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

ground (the solid part of the earth's surface)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Instruct someone in the fundamentals of a subject

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "ground" is one way to...):

instruct; learn; teach (impart skills or knowledge to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 5

Meaning:

Bring to the ground

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

ground; run aground; strand

Context example:

the storm grounded the ship

Hypernyms (to "ground" is one way to...):

land (bring ashore)

Cause:

ground; run aground (hit or reach the ground)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

ground (the solid part of the earth's surface)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Hit or reach the ground

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

ground; run aground

Hypernyms (to "ground" is one way to...):

arrive at; attain; gain; hit; make; reach (reach a destination, either real or abstract)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

ground (the solid part of the earth's surface)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Throw to the ground in order to stop play and avoid being tackled behind the line of scrimmage

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "ground" is one way to...):

throw (propel through the air)

Verb group:

ground (hit onto the ground)

Domain category:

football; football game (any of various games played with a ball (round or oval) in which two teams try to kick or carry or propel the ball into each other's goal)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

ground (the solid part of the earth's surface)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Hit a groundball

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

he grounded to the second baseman

Hypernyms (to "ground" is one way to...):

hit (cause to move by striking)

Verb group:

ground (hit onto the ground)

Domain category:

ball; baseball; baseball game (a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs)

Sentence frame:

It is ----ing

Derivation:

grounder ((baseball) a hit that travels along the ground)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Hit onto the ground

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "ground" is one way to...):

hit (cause to move by striking)

Verb group:

ground (hit a groundball)

ground (throw to the ground in order to stop play and avoid being tackled behind the line of scrimmage)

Domain category:

ball; baseball; baseball game (a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

ground (the solid part of the earth's surface)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Cover with a primer; apply a primer to

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

ground; prime; undercoat

Hypernyms (to "ground" is one way to...):

paint (apply paint to; coat with paint)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They want to ground the doors

Derivation:

ground (the first or preliminary coat of paint or size applied to a surface)

Sense 11

Meaning:

Connect to a ground

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

ground the electrical connections for safety reasons

Hypernyms (to "ground" is one way to...):

connect; link; link up; tie (connect, fasten, or put together two or more pieces)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ground"):

earth (connect to the earth)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

ground (a connection between an electrical device and a large conducting body, such as the earth (which is taken to be at zero voltage))

grounding (fastening electrical equipment to earth)

Sense 12

Meaning:

Use as a basis for; found on

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

base; establish; found; ground

Context example:

base a claim on some observation

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ground"):

build (found or ground)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

ground (a rational motive for a belief or action)

 Context examples 

They walked in a stooped posture, the shoulders well forward, the head still farther forward, the eyes bent upon the ground.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Nothing was before us but the three or four months’ hunting on the sealing grounds.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The next, redcap had fallen across the stone with an arrow between his ribs; and the other, struck in the leg and in the throat, was writhing and spluttering upon the ground.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

When he saw Renfield on the ground, he looked keenly at him a moment, and then turned to me.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Finally, I went to the landlord, who is an accountant living on the ground floor, and I asked him if he could tell me what had become of the Red-headed League.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His window was open, and there is a stout ivy plant leading to the ground.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She felt as if she had solid ground under her feet again, and when Mr. Bhaer paused, outtalked but not one whit convinced, Jo wanted to clap her hands and thank him.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Then, with a sudden impulse, they all rushed in a howling crowd to the trees for shelter, leaving the ground behind them spotted with their stricken comrades.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The other end of the stick, in turn, was made fast to a stake in the ground by means of a leather thong.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

When I took the road again next morning, I found that it lay through a succession of hop-grounds and orchards.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)