Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible: Used to describe something that is shockingly and obviously wrong, offensive, or immoral.
   • Conspicuously and tastelessly indecent: Refers to something that is vulgar, coarse, or offensive in a very obvious way.
   • Without qualification; used as an intensifier: Used informally, often pejoratively, to mean complete, utter, or absolute.
   • Visible to the naked eye: Particularly used for rocks or anatomical features that can be seen without magnification.
   • Lacking fine distinctions or detail: Concerning broad, general aspects rather than specifics.
   • Before any deductions: Referring to a total amount from which nothing has been subtracted.

2. Noun:

   • The entire amount of income before any deductions are made: The total sum of money earned prior to subtracting taxes or other expenses.
   • Twelve dozen: A unit of quantity equal to 144 items.

3. Verb:

   • To earn before taxes, expenses, etc.: To bring in a total amount of money as revenue or income.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The report highlighted the gross negligence of the officials.
  • He told a gross joke that offended everyone at the table.
  • That's gross incompetence!
  • The gross anatomy of the heart is studied in this course.
  • Let's focus on the gross features first.
  • Her gross income is quite high, but her net pay is much lower after deductions.

• Noun:

  • The company's gross was over a million dollars last quarter.
  • We ordered a gross of pencils for the office.

• Verb:

  • The movie grossed over $300 million worldwide.

Advanced Usage

• "In gross": In total, as a whole.
  • The estate was sold in gross.
• "Gross out" (informal): To disgust or repel someone.
  • The graphic details in the movie really grossed me out.

Variants and Related Words

• Grossly (adverb): In a gross manner; extremely.
  • He was grossly underpaid for his work.
• Grossness (noun): The quality or state of being gross.
  • The grossness of the error was unbelievable.

Synonyms

• Adjective (for 'outrageously bad'): Flagrant, egregious, glaring.
• Adjective (for 'vulgar'): Crude, coarse, vulgar, obscene.
• Adjective (for 'total'): Whole, entire, total, overall.
• Noun: Total, sum, aggregate.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Gross up: To increase a net amount to a gross amount, typically for tax calculations.
  • The payment will be grossed up to cover the tax liability.

Related Idioms

• By the gross: In large quantities; wholesale.
  • They buy their supplies by the gross to get a discount.

Adjective

1. conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
   • a crying shame
   • an egregious lie
   • flagrant violation of human rights
   • a glaring error
   • gross ineptitude
   • gross injustice
   • rank treachery
2. conspicuously and tastelessly indecent
   • coarse language
   • a crude joke
   • crude behavior
   • an earthy sense of humor
   • a revoltingly gross expletive
   • a vulgar gesture
   • full of language so vulgar it should have been edited
3. without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers
   • an arrant fool
   • a complete coward
   • a consummate fool
   • a double-dyed villain
   • gross negligence
   • a perfect idiot
   • pure folly
   • what a sodding mess
   • stark staring mad
   • a thoroughgoing villain
   • utter nonsense
   • the unadulterated truth
4. visible to the naked eye (especially of rocks and anatomical features)
5. repellently fat
   • a bald porcine old man
6. lacking fine distinctions or detail
   • the gross details of the structure appear reasonable
7. before any deductions
   • gross income

Noun

1. the entire amount of income before any deductions are made
2. twelve dozen

Verb

1. earn before taxes, expenses, etc.