The solid part of the earth's surface:
— He dropped the logs on the ground.

synonyms: dry land, earth, land, solid ground, terra firma.

Roget 342: land, earth, ground, dry land, terra firma.    continent, mainland, peninsula, chersonese [Fr.], delta; tongue of land, neck of land; isthmus, oasis; promontory etc. (projection) 250; highland etc. (height) 206.    coast, shore, scar, strand, beach; playa; bank, lea; seaboard, seaside, seabank^†, seacoast, seabeach^†; ironbound coast; loom of the land; derelict; innings; alluvium, alluvion^†; ancon.    riverbank, river bank, levee.    soil, glebe, clay, loam, marl, cledge^†, chalk, gravel, mold, subsoil, clod, clot; rock, crag.    acres; real estate etc. (property) 780; landsman^†.    ... show more

Roget 223: covering, cover; baldachin, baldachino^†, baldaquin^†; canopy, tilt, awning, tent, marquee, tente d'abri [Fr.], umbrella, parasol, sunshade; veil (shade) 424; shield etc. (defense) 717.    roof, ceiling, thatch, tile; pantile, pentile^†; tiling, slates, slating, leads; barrack [U.S.], plafond, planchment [U.S.], tiling, shed etc. (abode) 189.    top, lid, covercle^†, door, operculum; bulkhead [U.S.].    bandage, plaster, lint, wrapping, dossil^†, finger stall.    coverlet, counterpane, sheet, quilt, tarpaulin, blanket, rug, drugget^†; housing; antimacassar, eiderdown, numdah^†, pillowcase, pillowslip^†; linoleum; saddle cloth, blanket cloth; tidy; tilpah [U.S.], apishamore [U.S.].    integument, tegument; skin, pellicle, fleece, fell, fur, leather, shagreen^†, hide; pelt, peltry^†; cordwain^†; derm^†; robe, buffalo robe [U.S.]; cuticle, scarfskin, epidermis.    clothing etc. 225; mask etc. (concealment) 530.    peel, crust, bark, rind, cortex, husk, shell, coat; eggshell, glume^†.    capsule; sheath, sheathing; pod, cod; casing, case, theca^†; elytron^†; elytrum^†; involucrum [Lat.]; wrapping, wrapper; envelope, vesicle; corn husk, corn shuck [U.S.]; dermatology, conchology; testaceology^†.    inunction^†; incrustation, superimposition, superposition, obduction^†; scale etc. (layer) 204.    [specific coverings] veneer, facing; overlay; plate, silver plate, gold plate, copper plate; engobe^†; ormolu; Sheffield plate; pavement; coating, paint; varnish etc. (resin) 216.1; plating, barrel plating, anointing etc. v.; enamel; epitaxial deposition [Eng.], vapor deposition; ground, whitewash, plaster, spackel, stucco, compo; cerement; ointment etc. (grease) 356.    ... show more

Roget 215: support, ground, foundation, base, basis; terra firma; bearing, fulcrum, bait [U.S.], caudex crib^†; point d'appui [Fr.], pou sto [Gr.], purchase footing, hold, locus standi [Lat.]; landing place, landing stage; stage, platform; block; rest, resting place; groundwork, substratum, riprap, sustentation, subvention; floor etc. (basement) 211.    supporter; aid etc. 707; prop, stand, anvil, fulciment^†; cue rest, jigger; monkey; stay, shore, skid, rib, truss, bandage; sleeper; stirrup, stilts, shoe, sole, heel, splint, lap, bar, rod, boom, sprit^†, outrigger; ratlings^†.    staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, staddle^†; bourdon^†, cowlstaff^†, lathi^†, mahlstick^†.    post, pillar, shaft, thill^†, column, pilaster; pediment, pedicle; pedestal; plinth, shank, leg, socle^†, zocle^†; buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment; baluster, banister, stanchion; balustrade; headstone; upright; door post, jamb, door jamb.    frame, framework; scaffold, skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis^†, trave^†, corner stone, summer, transom; rung, round, step, sill; angle rafter, hip rafter; cantilever, modillion^†; crown post, king post; vertebra.    columella^†, backbone; keystone; axle, axletree; axis; arch, mainstay.    trunnion, pivot, rowlock^†; peg etc. (pendency) 214^†; tiebeam etc. (fastening) 45; thole pin^†.    board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet^†, trivet, arbor, rack; mantel, mantle piece [Fr.], mantleshelf^†; slab, console; counter, dresser; flange, corbel; table, trestle; shoulder; perch; horse; easel, desk; clotheshorse, hatrack; retable; teapoy^†.    seat, throne, dais; divan, musnud^†; chair, bench, form, stool, sofa, settee, stall; arm chair, easy chair, elbow chair, rocking chair; couch, fauteuil [Fr.], woolsack^†, ottoman, settle, squab, bench; aparejo^†, faldstool^†, horn; long chair, long sleeve chair, morris chair; lamba chauki^†, lamba kursi^†; saddle, pannel^†, pillion; side saddle, pack saddle; pommel.    bed, berth, pallet, tester, crib, cot, hammock, shakedown, trucklebed^†, cradle, litter, stretcher, bedstead; four poster, French bed, bunk, kip, palang^†; bedding, bichhona, mattress, paillasse^†; pillow, bolster; mat, rug, cushion.    footstool, hassock; tabouret^†; tripod, monopod.    Atlas, Persides, Atlantes^†, Caryatides, Hercules.    ... show more

Roget 780: property, possession, suum cuique [Lat.], meum et tuum [Lat.].    ownership, proprietorship, lordship; seignority^†; empire etc. (dominion) 737.    interest, stake, estate, right, title, claim, demand, holding; tenure etc. (possession) 777; vested interest, contingent interest, beneficial interest, equitable interest; use, trust, benefit; legal estate, equitable estate; seizin [Law], seisin [Law].    absolute interest, paramount estate, freehold; fee tail, fee simple; estate in fee, estate in tail, estate tail; estate in tail male, estate in tail female, estate in tail general.    limitation, term, lease, settlement, strict settlement, particular estate; estate for life, estate for years, estate pur autre vie [Fr.]; remainder, reversion, expectancy, possibility.    dower, dowry, jointure^†, appanage, inheritance, heritage, patrimony, alimony; legacy etc. (gift) 784; Falcidian law, paternal estate, thirds.    assets, belongings, means, resources, circumstances; wealth etc. 803; money etc. 800; what one is worth, what one will cut up for; estate and effects.    landed property, landed real estate property; realty; land, lands; tenements; hereditaments; corporeal hereditaments, incorporeal hereditaments; acres; ground etc. (earth) 342; acquest^†, messuage, toft^†.    territory, state, kingdom, principality, realm, empire, protectorate, sphere of influence.    manor, honor, domain, demesne; farm, plantation, hacienda; allodium etc. (free) 748^†; fief, fieff^†, feoff^†, feud, zemindary^†, dependency; arado^†, merestead^†, ranch.    free lease-holds, copy lease-holds; folkland^†; chattels real; fixtures, plant, heirloom; easement; right of common, right of user.    personal property, personal estate, personal effects; personalty, chattels, goods, effects, movables; stock, stock in trade; things, traps, rattletraps, paraphernalia; equipage etc. 633.    parcels, appurtenances.    impedimenta; luggage, baggage; bag and baggage; pelf; cargo, lading.    rent roll; income etc. (receipts) 810; maul and wedges [U.S.].    patent, copyright; chose in action; credit etc. 805; debt etc. 806.    ... show more

Dutch: land, vasteland
Polish: krajobraz, okolica, strony, teren

A rational motive for a belief or action:
— The grounds for their declaration.

synonym: reason.

Roget 615: motive, springs of action, wellsprings of action.    reason, ground, call, principle; by end, by purpose; mainspring, primum mobile [Lat.], keystone; the why and the wherefore; pro and con, reason why; secret motive, arriere pensee [Fr.]; intention etc. 620.    inducement, consideration; attraction; loadstone; magnet, magnetism, magnetic force; allectation^†, allective^†; temptation, enticement, agacerie^†, allurement, witchery; bewitchment, bewitchery; charm; spell etc. 993; fascination, blandishment, cajolery; seduction, seducement; honeyed words, voice of the tempter, song of the Sirens forbidden fruit, golden apple.    persuasibility^†, persuasibleness^†; attractability^†; impressibility, susceptibility; softness; persuasiveness, attractiveness; tantalization^†.    influence, prompting, dictate, instance; impulse, impulsion; incitement, incitation; press, instigation; provocation etc. (excitation of feeling) 824; inspiration; persuasion, suasion; encouragement, advocacy; exhortation; advice etc. 695; solicitation etc. (request) 765; lobbyism; pull [Slang].    incentive, stimulus, spur, fillip, whip, goad, ankus^†, rowel, provocative, whet, dram.    bribe, lure; decoy, decoy duck; bait, trail of a red herring; bribery and corruption; sop, sop for Cerberus.    prompter, tempter; seducer, seductor^†; instigator, firebrand, incendiary; Siren, Circe; agent provocateur; lobbyist.    ... show more

Roget 153: cause, origin, source, principle, element; occasioner^†, prime mover, primum mobile [Lat.]; vera causa [Lat.]; author etc. (producer) 164; mainspring; agent; leaven; groundwork, foundation etc. (support) 215.    spring, fountain, well, font; fountainhead, spring head, wellhead; fons et origo [Lat.], genesis; descent etc. (paternity) 166; remote cause; influence.    pivot, hinge, turning point, lever, crux, fulcrum; key; proximate cause, causa causans [Lat.]; straw that breaks the camel's back.    ground; reason, reason why; why and wherefore, rationale, occasion, derivation; final cause etc. (intention) 620; les dessous des cartes [Fr.]; undercurrents.    rudiment.    egg, germ, embryo, bud, root, radix radical, etymon, nucleus, seed, stem, stock, stirps, trunk, tap-root, gemmule^†, radicle, semen, sperm.    nest, cradle, nursery, womb, nidus, birthplace, hotbed.    causality, causation; origination; production etc. 161.    ... show more

Dutch: reden, afweging, beweeggrond, beweegreden, considerans, consideratie, drijfveer, grond, motief, motivatie, overweging, ratio ... show more
Polish: przyczyna, źródło, racja, motyw, pobudka, powód

The loose soft material that makes up a large part of the land surface.

synonym: earth.

Dutch: omgeving, aarde, grond

A relation that provides the foundation for something.

synonyms: basis, footing.

Roget 211: base, basement; plinth, dado, wainscot; baseboard, mopboard^†; bedrock, hardpan [U.S.]; foundation etc. (support) 215; substructure, substratum, ground, earth, pavement, floor, paving, flag, carped, ground floor, deck; footing, ground work, basis; hold, bilge.    bottom, nadir, foot, sole, toe, hoof, keel, root; centerboard.    ... show more

Roget 183: situation, position, locality, locale, status, latitude and longitude; footing, standing, standpoint, post; stage; aspect, attitude, posture, pose.    environment, surroundings (location) 184; circumjacence etc. 227^†.    place, site, station, seat, venue, whereabouts; ground; bearings etc. (direction) 278; spot etc. (limited space) 182.    topography, geography, chorography^†; map etc. 554.    ... show more

Dutch: basis

A position to be won or defended in battle (or as if in battle).

The part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground:
— He posed her against a background of rolling hills.

synonym: background.

Dutch: achtergrond, background, toneel
Polish: tło

Material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use).

synonyms: land, soil.

Roget 181: region, sphere, ground, soil, area, field, realm, hemisphere, quarter, district, beat, orb, circuit, circle; reservation, pale etc. (limit) 233; compartment, department; clearing.    [political divisions: see] (property) etc. 780 (Government) etc. 737.1 arena, precincts, enceinte, walk, march; patch, plot, parcel, inclosure, close, field, court; enclave, reserve, preserve; street etc. (abode) 189.    clime, climate, zone, meridian, latitude.    biosphere; lithosphere.    ... show more

Dutch: landen, aarde, grond, grondsoort
Polish: ziemia, grunt

A relatively homogeneous percept extending back of the figure on which attention is focused.

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

synonym: earth.

Dutch: aarddraad, aarde, aarding, aardleiding, aardverbinding
Polish: uziemienie

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

The first or preliminary coat of paint or size applied to a surface.

synonyms: flat coat, primer, primer coat, priming, priming coat, undercoat.

Polish: gruntówka

Fix firmly and stably.

synonym: anchor.

Dutch: funderen, grondvesten

Confine or restrict to the ground.

Place or put on the ground.

Instruct someone in the fundamentals of a subject.

Bring to the ground:
— The storm grounded the ship.

synonyms: run aground, strand.

Dutch: omhooglopen

Hit or reach the ground.

synonym: run aground.

Throw to the ground in order to stop play and avoid being tackled behind the line of scrimmage.

Hit a groundball.

Hit onto the ground.

Cover with a primer; apply a primer to.

synonyms: prime, undercoat.

Roget 537: teach, instruct, educate, edify, school, tutor; cram, prime, coach; enlighten etc. (inform) 527.    inculcate, indoctrinate, inoculate, infuse, instill, infix, ingraft^†, infiltrate; imbue, impregnate, implant; graft, sow the seeds of, disseminate.    given an idea of; put up to, put in the way of; set right.    sharpen the wits, enlarge the mind; give new ideas, open the eyes, bring forward, teach the young idea how to shoot" [Thomson]; improve etc. 658.    expound etc. (interpret) 522; lecture; read a lesson, give a lesson, give a lecture, give a sermon, give a discourse; incept^†; hold forth, preach; sermonize, moralize; point a moral.    train, discipline; bring up, bring up to; form, ground, prepare, qualify; drill, exercise, practice, habituate, familiarize with, nurture, drynurse^†, breed, rear, take in hand; break, break in; tame; preinstruct^†; initiate; inure etc. (habituate) 613.    put to nurse, send to school.    direct, guide; direct attention to etc. (attention) 457; impress upon the mind, impress upon the memory; beat into, beat into the head; convince etc. (belief) 484.    [instructional materials] book, workbook, exercise book.    [unnecessary teaching] preach to the wise, teach one's grandmother to suck eggs, teach granny to suck eggs; preach to the converted.    ... show more

Dutch: gronden

Connect to a ground.

Use as a basis for; found on.

synonyms: base, establish, found.

Roget 215: be supported &c.; lie on, sit on, recline on, lean on, loll on, rest on, stand on, step on, repose on, abut on, bear on, be based on &c.; have at one's back; bestride, bestraddle^†.    support, bear, carry, hold, sustain, shoulder; hold up, back up, bolster up, shore up; uphold, upbear^†; prop; under prop, under pin, under set; riprap; bandage etc. 43.    give support, furnish support, afford support, supply support, lend support, give foundations, furnish foundations, afford foundations, supply foundations, lend foundations; bottom, found, base, ground, imbed, embed.    maintain, keep on foot; aid etc. 707.    ... show more

An insignificant student who is ridiculed as being affected or boringly studious.

synonyms: dweeb, nerd, swot, wonk.

Dutch: nerd

The grade of particle fineness to which a substance is ground.

Hard monotonous routine work.

synonyms: donkeywork, drudgery, plodding.

Dutch: koeliewerk, monnikenwerk, slavenarbeid
Polish: harówka, orka, krwawica, katorga

The act of grinding to a powder or dust.

synonyms: mill, pulverisation, pulverization.

Press or grind with a crushing noise.

synonyms: cranch, craunch, crunch.

Roget 331: rub, scratch, scrape, scrub, slide, fray, rasp, graze, curry, scour, polish, rub out, wear down, gnaw; file, grind etc. (reduce to powder) 330.    set one's teeth on edge; rosin.    ... show more

Roget 539: learn; acquire knowledge, gain knowledge, receive knowledge, take in knowledge, drink in knowledge, imbibe knowledge, pick up knowledge, gather knowledge, get knowledge, obtain knowledge, collect knowledge, glean knowledge, glean information, glean learning.    acquaint oneself with, master; make oneself master of, make oneself acquainted with; grind, cram; get up, coach up; learn by heart, learn by rote.    read, spell, peruse; con over, pore over, thumb over; wade through; dip into; run the eye over, run the eye through; turn over the leaves.    study; be studious etc. adj.. [study intensely] burn the midnight oil, consume the midnight oil, mind one's book; cram.    go to school, go to college, go to the university; matriculate; serve an apprenticeship, serve one's apprenticeship, serve one's time; learn one's trade; be informed etc. 527; be taught etc. 537.    [stop going to school voluntarily (intransitive)] drop out, leave school, quit school; graduate; transfer; take a leave.    [cause to stop going to school (transitive)] dismiss, expel, kick out of school.    [stop going to school involuntarily] flunk out; be dismissed etc. ... show more

Roget 253: be sharp etc. adj.; taper to a point; bristle with.    render sharp etc. adj.; sharpen, point, aculeate, whet, barb, spiculate^†, set, strop, grind; chip (flint). cut etc. (sunder) 44.    ... show more

Roget 195: become small, become smaller; lessen, decrease etc. 36; grow less, dwindle, shrink, contract, narrow, shrivel, collapse, wither, lose flesh, wizen, fall away, waste, wane, ebb; decay etc. (deteriorate) 659.    be smaller than, fall short of; not come up to etc. (be inferior) 34.    render smaller, lessen, diminish, contract, draw in, narrow, coarctate^†; boil down; constrict, constringe^†; condense, compress, squeeze, corrugate, crimp, crunch, crush, crumple up, warp, purse up, pack, squeeze, stow; pinch, tighten, strangle; cramp; dwarf, bedwarf^†; shorten etc. 201; circumscribe etc. 229; restrain etc. 751.    [reduce in size by abrasion or paring. ] (subtraction) 38 abrade, pare, reduce, attenuate, rub down, scrape, file, file down, grind, grind down, chip, shave, shear, wear down.    ... show more

Roget 907: be malevolent etc. adj.; bear spleen, harbor spleen, bear a grudge, harbor a grudge, bear malice; betray the cloven foot, show the cloven foot.    hurt etc. (physical pain) 378; annoy etc. 830; injure.   , harm, wrong; do harm to, do an ill office to; outrage; disoblige, malign, plant a thorn in the breast.    molest, worry, harass, haunt, harry, bait, tease; throw stones at; play the devil with; hunt down, dragoon, hound; persecute, oppress, grind; maltreat; illtreat, ill-use.    wreak one's malice on, do one's worst, break a butterfly on the wheel; dip one's hands in blood, imbrue one's hands in blood; have no mercy etc. 914.1. ... show more

Make a grating or grinding sound by rubbing together.

synonym: grate.

Dutch: schuren, irriteren, malen

Work hard.

synonyms: dig, drudge, fag, labor, labour, moil, toil, travail.

Dutch: beulen, inspannen, ploegen, ploeteren, sappelen, sloven

Dance by rotating the pelvis in an erotically suggestive way, often while in contact with one's partner such that the dancers' legs are interlaced.

Reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading:
— Grind the spices in a mortar.

synonyms: bray, comminute, crunch, mash.

Roget 330: come to dust; be disintegrated, be reduced to powder &c.. reduce to powder, grind to powder; pulverize, comminute, granulate, triturate, levigate^†; scrape, file, abrade, rub down, grind, grate, rasp, pound, bray, bruise; contuse, contund^†; beat, crush, cranch^†, craunch^†, crunch, scranch^†, crumble, disintegrate; attenuate etc. 195.    ... show more

Dutch: verbrijzelen, malen, pureren

Created by grinding.

Shape or form by grinding.