n. The bottom; the lowest part.n. Foundation; base; a surface serving as a support, as a floor or pavement.n. The solid part of the earth's surface; the crust of the globe; the firm land.n. The disintegrated portion of the earth's crust, lying upon its surface; soil; earth.n. A limited part of the earth's surface; a space or tract of country; a region.n. Land appropriated to individual ownership or use; cultivated land; a landed estate or possession; specifically, the land immediately surrounding or connected with a dwelling-house or other building and devoted to its uses: commonly in the plural.n. Land appropriated to some special use (without reference to ownership), as the playing of games: as, base-ball grounds; cricket-grounds; hunting-grounds; hence, also, fishing-grounds.n. The pit of a theater. It was originally without benches, and on a level with the stage.n. In mining: Same as countryn. That part of the lode or vein which is being worked, or to which reference is made.n. The basis upon or by means of which a work is executed, or upon which it rests for support or display; a foundation, foil, or background.n. Specifically— In painting, a basis for a picture, whether it be of plaster, as in distemper or fresco, or only a general tone of color spread over the surface of a canvas and intended to show through the overlaid color if transparent, or to relieve it if opaque.n. In sculpture, the flat surface from which the figures project: said of a work in relief.n. In etching, a coating of varnish applied to a plate as a basis to work upon; in mezzotint, a roughening of the copper with a cradle for a like purpose. See etching and etching-ground.n. In decorative art, the original surface, uncolored, or colored with a fiat tint only as a preparation for further ornament. Thus, a background may consist of slight scrollwork, fretwork, or the like, printed upon the ground, as in the case of decorative designs of considerable richness, figure-work, flower-work, and the like.n. In ceramics, the colored surface of the body of a piece upon which painting in enamels or gilding is to be applied. See ground-laying and bossing, 1.n. In lace, that part of lace which is not the pattern, of two kinds, one called the reseau or net, and the other the grillage. See these words and lace.n. In music: A cantus firm us, or melody proposed for contrapuntal treatment.n. Especially— A ground bass (which see, under bass).n. In textile manufacturing, the principal color, to which others are considered as ornamental; that part of manufactured articles, as tapestry, carpeting, etc., of a uniform color, on which the figures are, as it were, drawn or projected.n. One of the pieces nailed to lathing to form a guide for the surface of plastering, and to serve as a basis for stucco-work.n. The first coat of hard varnish in japanning.n. That which logically necessitates a given judgment or conclusion; a sufficient reason; in general, a reason or datum of reasoning; logical or rational foundation.n. Source, origin, or cause.n. plural Remnants; ends; scraps; small pieces.n. plural Sediment at the bottom of liquors; dregs; lees: as, coffee-grounds; the grounds of strong beer.n. In electricity, a connection with the earth, so that the electricity passes off into it.n. At the spot or place mentioned; at hand.n. To gain credit; prevail; become more general or extensive: as, the opinion gains ground.n. To lose advantage.n. To lose credit; decline; become less in force or extent.Pertaining to the ground. Belonging to the ground or base; hence, basic; fundamental: as, the ground form of a word; ground facts or principles.Pertaining to the soil: as, ground air.Situated on or nearest to the surface of the earth: as, the ground floor.Nautical: () The lowest range of water-casks in the hold of a vessel before the introduction of iron tanks. () The lowest range of any material stowed in the hold.To place on a foundation; found; establish firmly in position.To settle or establish in any way, as on reason or principle; fix or settle firmly in existence or in thought.To instruct thoroughly in elements or first principles.To lay or set on or in the ground; bring to ground, or to rest on or as if on the ground.Nautical, to run ashore or aground; cause to strike the ground: as, to ground a ship.In electricity, to connect with the earth, as a conductor, so that the electricity can pass off to it.To form a ground on or for; furnish with a ground or base. See ground, n., 10.To run aground; strike the ground and remain fixed, as a ship.To come to or strike the ground.To base an opinion or course of action; depend.Preterit and past participle of grind.To set (a color); to make (a color) fast.
