ground

Verb

• use as a basis for; found on
  • base a claim on some observation
    

• connect to a ground
  • ground the electrical connections for safety reasons
    

• cover with a primer; apply a primer to

• hit onto the ground

• hit a groundball
  • he grounded to the second baseman
    

• throw to the ground in order to stop play and avoid being tackled behind the line of scrimmage

• hit or reach the ground

• bring to the ground
  • the storm grounded the ship
    

• instruct someone in the fundamentals of a subject

• place or put on the ground

• confine or restrict to the ground
  • After the accident, they grounded the plane and the pilot
    

• fix firmly and stably
  • anchor the lamppost in concrete
    

Noun

• the first or preliminary coat of paint or size applied to a surface

• (art) the surface (as a wall or canvas) prepared to take the paint for a painting

• a connection between an electrical device and a large conducting body, such as the earth (which is taken to be at zero voltage)

• a relatively homogeneous percept extending back of the figure on which attention is focused

• material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use)
  • the land had never been plowed
    
  • good agricultural soil
    

• the part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground
  • he posed her against a background of rolling hills
    

• a position to be won or defended in battle (or as if in battle)
  • they gained ground step by step
    
  • they fought to regain the lost ground
    

• a relation that provides the foundation for something
  • they were on a friendly footing
    
  • he worked on an interim basis
    

• the loose soft material that makes up a large part of the land surface
  • they dug into the earth outside the church
    

• a rational motive for a belief or action
  • the reason that war was declared
    
  • the grounds for their declaration
    

• the solid part of the earth's surface
  • the plane turned away from the sea and moved back over land
    
  • the earth shook for several minutes
    
  • he dropped the logs on the ground
    

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  establish , base , found , prime , undercoat , run aground , strand , anchor , flat coat , primer , priming , primer coat , priming coat , earth , land , soil , background , footing , basis , reason , dry land , solid ground , terra firma