the solid surface of the earth; firm or dry land

to fall to the ground.

earth or soil

stony ground.

land having an indicated character

rising ground.

Often, grounds. a tract of land appropriated to a special use

picnic grounds; a hunting ground.

Often, grounds. the foundation or basis on which a belief or action rests; reason or cause

grounds for dismissal.

subject for discussion; topic

Sex education is forbidden ground in some school curricula.

rational or factual support for one's position or attitude, as in a debate or argument

on firm ground; on shaky ground.

the main surface or background in painting, decorative work, lace, etc.

Fine Arts .

a coating of some substance serving as a surface for paint, ink, or other media in art

Lead white is a traditional ground for oil paintings.

ground color ( def. 2 ) .

(in perception) the background in a visual field, contrasted with the figure.

Also called etching ground. an acid-resistant substance, composed of wax, gum, and resin in varying proportions, applied to the entire surface of an etching plate and through which the design is drawn with an etching needle.

grounds, dregs or sediment

coffee grounds.

grounds, the gardens, lawn, etc., surrounding and belonging to a building.

Electricity . a conducting connection between an electric circuit or equipment and the earth or some other conducting body.

Music . ground bass.

Nautical . the bottom of a body of water.

the earth's solid or liquid surface; land or water.

Carpentry .

a strip of wood to which woodwork can be attached, set flush with the plaster finish of a room.

a strip of wood or length of corner bead used at an opening as a stop for plasterwork.

situated on or at, or adjacent to, the surface of the earth

a ground attack.

pertaining to the ground.

Military . operating on land

ground forces.

to lay or set on the ground.

to place on a foundation; fix firmly; settle or establish; found.

to instruct in elements or first principles

to ground students in science.

to furnish with a ground or background, as on decorative work.

to cover (wallpaper) with colors or other materials before printing.

Electricity . to establish a ground for (a circuit, device, etc.).

Nautical . to cause (a vessel) to run aground.

Aeronautics . to restrict (an aircraft or the like) to the ground because of bad weather, the unsatisfactory condition of the aircraft, etc.

to forbid (a pilot) to fly because of bad health, failure to comply with safety regulations, or the like.

Informal . to put out of action or make unable to participate

The quarterback was grounded by a knee injury.

Informal . to restrict the activities, esp. the social activities, of

I can't go to the partymy parents have grounded me until my grades improve.

to come to or strike the ground.

Baseball .

to hit a ground ball.

to ground out. ?

ground out, Baseball . to be put out at first base after hitting a ground ball to the infield. ?

break ground

to plow.

to begin excavation for a construction project.

to begin upon or take preparatory measures for any undertaking.

cover ground

to pass or travel over a certain area.

to make a certain amount of progress in dealing with a piece of work, subject, treatise, or the like

He talked for two hours without covering much ground.

cut the ground from under, to render (an argument, position, person

etc.) ineffective or invalid; refute

It didn't require much effort to cut the ground from under that case.

from the ground up

gradually from the most elementary level to the highest level

She learned the business from the ground up.

extensively; thoroughly

The professor knew his subject from the ground up.

gain ground

to make progress; advance.

to gain approval or acceptance

The case for air-pollution control is gaining ground throughout the country.

give ground

to yield to force or forceful argument; retreat

The disarmament talks reached an impasse when neither side would give ground on inspection proposals.

hold or stand one's ground

to maintain one's position; be steadfast

The referee stood his ground, though his decision was hotly contested by the crowd.

into the ground

beyond a reasonable or necessary point

You've stated your case, and you needn't run it into the ground.

lose ground

to retreat or be forced back.

to lose one's advantage; suffer a reverse.

to wane in popularity or acceptance; begin to fail

Our candidate is losing ground in industrial areas.

off the ground

Informal . into action or well under way

The play never got off the ground.

on one's own ground

in an area or situation that one knows well.

on the ground

at the place of interest or importance; actively engaged

Minutes after the bank robbery reporters were on the ground to get the story.

shift ground

to change position in an argument or situation.

suit down to the ground

to be perfectly satisfactory; please greatly

This climate suits me down to the ground.

take the ground

Nautical . to become grounded at low water.

to ground

into a den, burrow, shelter, or the like

a fox gone to ground.

into concealment or hiding

Rather than take the witness stand, she went to ground in another country.

noun

heavens , sky

verb

free , let go , liberate

noun

arena , dirt , dust , field , landscape , loam , old sod , park , real estate , sand , sod , soil , terra firma , terrain , turf , basis , bed , bottom , foot , footing , foundation , fundament , groundwork , seat , substratum , underpinning , base , motivation , motive , reason , spring , argument , proof , wherefore , why , call , justification , necessity , occasion

verb

acquaint , bottom , coach , discipline , establish , familiarize , fit , fix , found , indoctrinate , inform , initiate , instruct , introduce , predicate , prepare , prime , qualify , rest , settle , stay , teach , train , tutor , bar , beach , bring down , dock , down , fell , floor , knock down , land , level , mow down , prevent , strand , cut down , flatten , prostrate , strike down , throw , build , root , underpin , country , dirt , earth , estate , field , foundation , landscape , mother earth , soil , terrain , terrane , territory , turf