common ground
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A basis agreed to by all parties for reaching a mutual understanding: "Common ground" refers to a shared belief, interest, or position that serves as a foundation for agreement or discussion between people or groups who may otherwise disagree.
Usage
- "Common ground" is an uncountable noun. It is used to describe an abstract area of agreement, not a physical place.
- It is typically used in contexts involving discussion, negotiation, or conflict resolution.
- Common collocations include: , , , , .
Examples
- Noun:
- Despite their political differences, the two leaders were able to find common ground on environmental policy.
- The mediator's job is to identify common ground between the disputing parties.
- We need to establish some common ground before we can begin a productive negotiation.
Advanced Usage
- "to be on common ground": to be in a situation where shared understanding or agreement exists.
- Once we agreed on the core principles, we were finally on common ground.
- "a piece of common ground": a specific point or area of agreement.
- Their shared love for music was a crucial piece of common ground that helped them become friends.
Variants and Related Words
- Commonality (n): a shared feature or attribute.
- Finding commonalities can help build relationships.
- Consensus (n): general agreement among a group.
- The committee reached a consensus after a long debate.
Synonyms
- Mutual understanding: a shared comprehension.
- Area of agreement: a specific subject on which parties agree.
- Meeting of minds: a state of agreement or concord.
Related Phrases
- Find middle ground: to reach a compromise.
- They couldn't agree on extremes, so they had to find middle ground.
- See eye to eye: to agree fully.
- The siblings rarely see eye to eye on financial matters.
Related Idioms
- "To build bridges": to establish connections or reconcile differences.
- The cultural exchange program aimed to build bridges between the two communities.
- "To be in the same boat": to be in the same, often difficult, situation.
- Realizing they were in the same boat helped them find common ground.
Noun
- a basis agreed to by all parties for reaching a mutual understanding