noun
ground
grownd
noun
1
The solid surface of the earth.
"Leaves covered the ground after the storm."
"She knelt down and touched the ground."
2
A reason or basis for a belief, decision, or action.
"They had good grounds for their complaint."
3
An area of land used for a particular purpose, such as sport or school premises.
"The football ground was packed for the derby match."
verb
1
To forbid a child or teenager from going out as a punishment.
"She was grounded for two weeks after missing curfew."
2
To connect an electrical device safely to the earth.
"Make sure the appliance is properly grounded before use."
3
To prevent an aircraft or pilot from flying.
"The entire fleet was grounded after the technical fault was discovered."
adjective
1
Crushed into small particles.
"Freshly ground pepper tastes far better than the pre-ground kind."
How to Use Ground
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe earth's surface, a reason for something, or (as a verb) to stop someone going out, connect to earth electrically, or stop a plane from flying.
Common pairings
on the ground
grounds for
grounded for a week
grounded flight
Word Forms
grounded past tense, grounds plural, grounds singular
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Etymology
From Old English grund, related to Dutch grond and German Grund, all meaning the earth's surface or a foundation.