ground

1 of 4

noun

ˈgrau̇nd 

plural grounds

1

a

: the surface of a planet (such as the earth or Mars)

especially : the surface of the earth or a particular part of it sometimes as contrasted with the air or sea

She sat down on the ground.

a patch of uneven ground

One person was flown by helicopter and another transported by ground …

—Larry Delkinski

—often used before another noun

the cost of ground transportation

the airport's ground crew

sent in ground troops

the country's ground forces

fighting a ground war

b

: an area used for a particular purpose

a grassy picnic ground

fishing grounds

c

grounds plural : the area around and belonging to a house or other building

We toured the grounds of the estate.

d

: an area of knowledge or special interest

He covered a lot of ground in his lecture.

e

: an area to be won or defended in or as if in battle see also proving ground

2

a

: soil, earth

… the nutrient-rich soil that lies deep in the ground.

—Ariela Bard

b

obsolete : a special soil

3

a

: the bottom of a body of water

The boat struck ground.

b grounds plural

(1)

: ground coffee beans after brewing

(2)

: sediment sense 1

4

a

: a basis for belief, action, or argument

ground for complaint

—often used in plural

sufficient grounds for divorce

see also common ground, middle ground, high ground

b(1)

: a fundamental logical condition

(2)

: a basic metaphysical (see metaphysical sense 2) cause

5

a

: an object (such as one made of a wire or metal) that makes an electrical connection with the earth

b

: a large conducting body (such as the earth) used as a common return for an electric circuit and as an arbitrary zero of potential

c

: electric connection with a ground

6

a

: a surrounding area : background

wallpaper with black diamonds on a white ground

b

: material that serves as a substratum

7

: a football offense utilizing primarily running plays

ground

2 of 4

verb

grounded; grounding; grounds

transitive verb

1

a

: to provide a reason or justification for

our fears about technological change may be well grounded

—L. K. Williams

b

: to furnish with a foundation of knowledge : base

an understanding … that is grounded in fact

—Michael Kimmelman

2

a

: to cause to run aground

b

: to bring to or place on the ground

3

a

: to restrict to the ground

ground a pilot

b

: to prohibit from taking part in some usual activities

grounded her for a week

4

: to connect electrically with a ground

5

: to throw (a football) intentionally to the ground to avoid being tackled for a loss

intransitive verb

1

: to run aground

The ship grounded on a mud bank.

2

: to hit a grounder

grounded back to the pitcher

3

: to have a ground or basis : rely

ground

3 of 4

adjective

: reduced to small pieces or a powder by a grinding process

ground beef

ground coffee beans

ground

4 of 4

past tense and past participle of grind

Phrases

from the ground up

1

: entirely new or afresh

The car has been redesigned from the ground up.

2

: from the very beginning : thoroughly

built the resort from the ground up

into the ground

: beyond what is necessary or tolerable : to exhaustion

labored an issue into the ground

—Newsweek

off the ground

: in or as if in flight : off to a good start

the program never got off the ground

on the ground

: at the scene of action

to ground

1

: into a burrow

the fox went to ground

2

: into hiding

… might need to make a run for it and go to ground someplace …

—Edward Hoagland

Synonyms

Noun

• demesne
• park
• premises
• premisses
• yard

Verb

• base
• hang
• predicate
• rest

Examples of ground in a Sentence

Noun

An apple fell to the ground.

Mechanical problems kept the plane on the ground.

They were lying on the ground.

The flight was watched by many observers on the ground.

planting seeds in the ground

She drove a spike into the ground.

They built their house on bare ground.

We realized that we were on hallowed ground.

They built their house on high ground.

Each fall the birds return to their wintering grounds.

Verb

They grounded the ship on a sandbar.

The plane was grounded by mechanical problems.

Bad weather grounded his flight.

a pilot grounded by health problems

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

While Republicans have a supermajority in the General Assembly, Democrats were hoping to gain some ground and flip some seats from red to blue. —Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 6 Nov. 2024

When complete, a monolithic glittering golden tower containing 1,542 rooms will soar more than 300 meters and be surrounded by lush grounds, swimming lagoons and a marina. —Caroline Reid, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Verb

Fixed-wing aircraft were grounded by high winds; helicopters were requested for firefighting efforts. —Bay Area News Group, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024

Schools and public transportation in the city were suspended until further notice, and authorities grounded flights at both Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport as well as at the popular beach resort at Varadero through Thursday. —Reuters, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024

Adjective

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: Builds a base of flavor on the meat. —Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024

Rather than using the more common simple syrup in the three-ingredient drink, caster sugar, a finely ground sugar, was used instead, which reduced the drinks viscosity and let the base spirit shine. —Lisa Shames, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English grund; akin to Old High German grunt ground

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2b

Adjective

1765, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ground

• break ground
• break new ground
• breeding ground
• burial ground
• common ground
• cover ground
• cover the ground
• dangerous ground/territory
• down to the ground
• dumping ground
• familiar ground
• feeding ground
• from the ground up
• gain ground
• gain ground on
• get in on the ground floor
• get off the ground
• give ground
• ground ball
• ground bass
• ground beef
• ground beetle
• ground burst
• ground-cherry
• ground cloth
• ground cover
• ground crew
• ground-effect machine
• ground floor
• ground forces
• ground glass
• ground ivy
• ground level
• ground loop
• ground meristem
• ground pine
• ground plan
• ground rent
• ground rule
• ground sloth
• ground (someone) in
• ground speed
• ground squirrel
• ground staff
• ground state
• ground stroke
• ground substance
• ground swell
• ground transportation
• ground troops
• ground war
• ground wave
• ground zero
• happy hunting ground
• have/keep one's feet on the ground
• high ground
• hit the ground
• hit the ground running
• in-ground
• in on the ground floor
• lose ground
• make up ground
• middle ground
• on dangerous ground
• on firm ground/footing
• on shaky ground
• parade ground(s)
• proving ground
• recreation ground
• rests on shaky ground
• road/ground clearance
• shift one's ground
• spawning ground
• staging ground
• stamping ground
• stand one's ground
• stand your ground law
• stomping ground
• stone-ground
• suit (someone) down to the ground
• testing ground
• the ground
• the high ground
• the moral high ground
• thick on the ground
• thin on the ground
• wipe the ground with
• work (someone) into the ground
• worship the ground someone walks on

Kids Definition

ground

1 of 3 noun

ˈgrau̇nd 

1

a

: the bottom of a body of water

the boat struck ground

b

plural : sediment sense 1, lees

2

: basis, foundation

grounds for divorce

3

: a surrounding area : background

a picture on a gray ground

4

a

: the surface of the earth

b

: an area used for a particular purpose

the parade ground

fishing grounds

c

plural : the area around and belonging to a building

5

: soil entry 3 sense 1, earth

6

: an area to be won or defended in or as if in battle

gaining ground on the other runners

7

a

: an object that makes an electrical connection with the earth

b

: a large conducting body (as the earth) used as a common return for an electric circuit

ground

2 of 3 verb

1

: to bring to or place on the ground

2

a

: to provide a reason for

b

: to instruct in fundamentals

well grounded in mathematics

3

: to connect electrically with a ground

4

a

: to restrict to the ground

ground a pilot

b

: to prohibit from taking part in some usual activities

grounded her for a week

5

: to run aground

the ship grounded on a reef

6

: to hit a ground ball

grounded to the shortstop

ground

3 of 3

past and past participle of grind

Medical Definition

ground

past and past part of grind

Legal Definition

ground

1 of 2 noun

1

: the foundation or basis on which knowledge, belief, or conviction rests : a premise, reason, or collection of data upon which something (as a legal action or argument) relies for validity

sued the city on the ground that the city…had wrongfully released…records

—City of Lawton v. Moore, 868 P.2d 690 (1993)

listed adultery and alcoholism as the grounds for divorce

2

: a piece or parcel of land

the design being to create high ground for use during overflow periods

—Bright v. Perkins, 239 S.W.2d 281 (1951)

a sudden disruption of a piece of ground from one man's land

—Porter v. Arkansas Western Gas Co., 482 S.W.2d 598 (1972)

groundless adjective

groundlessly adverb

groundlessness noun

ground

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to furnish a ground for : set on a basis

that court grounded the disclosure requirement in negligence law

—Scott v. Bradford, 606 P.2d 554 (1979)

an argument grounded on falsehoods