Definition

Verb (base form: ground out; past tense and past participle: ground out) 1. In baseball or softball: To make an out by hitting a batted ball that travels along the ground (a ground ball) to a fielder, who then throws the ball to first base or another base to put the runner out before they arrive.

Usage

• This term is used exclusively in the context of baseball and softball to describe a specific type of out.
• It is a phrasal verb where "ground" is the verb and "out" is the particle. The past tense and past participle are "ground out," not "grinded out."
• It describes the action of the batter. The fielder is said to "field the ground ball" or "throw the runner out."

Examples

• "The batter tried to hit a home run but instead grounded out to the shortstop."
• "With a runner on third, he needed a fly ball but grounded out to end the inning."
• "The pitcher has induced three ground outs so far this game." (Here, "ground out" is used as a noun compound to describe the type of out.)

Advanced Usage / Related Terms

• As a noun compound ("groundout"): The result of the action. It refers to the recorded out itself.
  • "The inning ended on a routine 6-3 groundout." (A 6-3 refers to a shortstop-to-first-base putout).
• Contrast with "fly out": To make an out by hitting a ball that is caught in the air before it touches the ground.
• Contrast with "strike out": To make an out by accumulating three strikes.

Variants and Related Words

• Ground ball (noun): A batted ball that rolls or bounces along the ground. Also called a "grounder."
• Ground into (a double play) (verb phrase): To hit a ground ball that results in two outs. Example: "He grounded into a double play."

Synonyms

• There is no direct single-word synonym. The phrase "make a ground-ball out" is a descriptive equivalent.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Pop out: To make an out by hitting a high, short fly ball that is caught.
• Line out: To make an out by hitting a sharp, low line drive that is caught.

Verb

1. make an out by hitting the ball on the ground