HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY
To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.
Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.
THE USAGE PANEL
The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.
AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP
The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG
The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more.
INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?
Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com
| n. 1. a. The solid surface of the earth. b. The floor of a body of water, especially the sea. 2. Soil; earth: level the ground for a lawn. 3. often grounds An area of land designated for a particular purpose: a burial ground; parade grounds. 4. often grounds The land surrounding or forming part of a house or another building: a guesthouse on the grounds of the mansion. 5. An area or a position that is contested in or as if in battle: The soldiers held their ground against the enemy. Character witnesses helped the defendant stand her ground in the trial. 6. Something that serves as a foundation or means of attachment for something else: a ground of white paint under the mural. 7. A surrounding area; a background. 8. often grounds The foundation for an argument, belief, or action; a basis. 9. often grounds The underlying condition prompting an action; a cause: grounds for suspicion; a ground for divorce. See Synonyms at base1. 10. An area of reference or discussion; a subject: The professor covered new ground in every lecture. 11. grounds a. The sediment at or from the bottom of a liquid: coffee grounds. b. Particles of ground coffee beans for use in making coffee for drinking. 12. Electricity a. A large conducting body, such as the earth or an electric circuit connected to the earth, used to establish an arbitrary zero of potential. b. A conducting object, such as a wire, that is connected to such a position of zero potential. 13. A mesh background upon which patterns are worked in lace-making. v. ground·ed, ground·ing, grounds v. tr. 1. To place on or cause to touch the ground. 2. To provide a basis for (a theory, for example); justify. 3. To supply with basic information; instruct in fundamentals. 4. a. To prevent (an aircraft or a pilot) from flying. b. Informal To restrict (someone) especially to a certain place as a punishment. 5. Electricity To connect (an electric circuit) to a ground. 6. Nautical To run (a vessel) aground. 7. a. Baseball To hit (a ball) onto the ground. b. Football To throw (a ball) to the ground in order to stop play and avoid being tackled behind the line of scrimmage. v. intr. Phrasal Verb: 1. To touch or reach the ground. 2. Baseball To hit a ground ball: grounded to the second baseman. 3. Nautical To run aground. ground outBaseball Idioms: To be put out by hitting a ground ball that is fielded and thrown to first base. drive(or run)into the ground To belabor (an issue or a subject). from the ground up From the most basic level to the highest level; completely: designed the house from the ground up; learned the family business from the ground up. off the ground Under way, as if in flight: Because of legal difficulties, the construction project never got off the ground. on (one's) own ground In a situation where one has knowledge or competence: a sculptor back on her own ground after experiments with painting. on the ground At a place that is exciting, interesting, or important: a reporter who wanted to be on the ground when the story broke. to ground 1. Into a den or burrow: a fox going to ground. 2. Into hiding. [Middle English, from Old English grund.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
v. Past tense and past participle of grind. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
