Webster's English Dictionary

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ground

Cross references:
  1. base                  
 
1. ground \grau.nd\ n [ME, fr. OE grund; akin to OHG grunt ground, Gk 
   chrainein to]touch slightly 1a: the bottom of a body of water  pl  1b: 
   sediment at the bottom of a liquid : LEES  2a: a basis for belief, action, 
   or argument  2b1: a fundamental logical condition  2b2: a basic 
   metaphysical cause  3a: a surrounding area : BACKGROUND  3b: material that 
   serves as a substratum : FOUNDATION  4a: the surface of the earth  4b: an 
   area used for a particular purpose {parade ~}  pl  4c: the area around and 
   belonging to a house or other building  4d: an area to be won or defended 
   in or as if in battle  4e: a subject of study or discourse  5a: SOIL, EARTH 
    5b: a special soil  5c: rock or formation through which mine workings are 
   driven  6a: an object that makes an electrical connection with the earth  
   6b: a large conduction body (as the earth) used as a common return for an e 
   lectric circuit and as an arbitrary zero of potential 6c: electric 
   connection with a ground 
2. ground vt 1: to bring to or place on the ground  2a: to provide a reason 
   or justification for  2b: to instruct in fundamentals  3: to connect 
   electrically with a ground  4: to restrict to the ground {~ a pilot}  1: to 
   have a ground or basis : RELY  2: to run aground  3: to hit a grounder 
3. ground  past of GRIND