[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

ground \ground\ ground, n. oe. ground, grund, as. grund; akin
   to d. grond, os., g., sw.,  dan. grund, icel. grunnr bottom,
   goth. grundus in composition; perh. orig. meaning, dust,
   gravel, and if so perh. akin to e. grind.
   1. the surface of the earth; the outer crust of the globe, or
      some indefinite portion of it.
      1913 webster

            there was not a man to till the ground. --gen. ii.
                                                  5.
      1913 webster

            the fire ran along upon the ground.   --ex. ix. 23.
      hence: a floor or pavement supposed to rest upon the
      earth.
      1913 webster

   2. any definite portion of the earth's surface; region;
      territory; country. hence: a territory appropriated to, or
      resorted to, for a particular purpose; the field or place
      of action; as, a hunting or fishing ground; a play ground.
      1913 webster

            from . . . old euphrates, to the brook that parts
            egypt from syrian ground.             --milton.
      1913 webster

   3. land; estate; possession; field; esp. pl., the gardens,
      lawns, fields, etc., belonging to a homestead; as, the
      grounds of the estate are well kept.
      1913 webster

            thy next design is on thy neighbor's grounds.
                                                  --dryden. 4.
      1913 webster

   4. the basis on which anything rests; foundation. hence: the
      foundation of knowledge, belief, or conviction; a premise,
      reason, or datum; ultimate or first principle; cause of
      existence or occurrence; originating force or agency; as,
      the ground of my hope.
      1913 webster

   5. paint.  decorative art
      a that surface upon which the figures of a composition
          are set, and which relieves them by its plainness,
          being either of one tint or of tints but slightly
          contrasted with one another; as, crimson bowers on a
          white ground. see background, foreground, and
          middle-ground.
      b in sculpture, a flat surface upon which figures are
          raised in relief.
      c in point lace, the net of small meshes upon which the
          embroidered pattern is applied; as, brussels ground.
          see brussels lace, under brussels.
          1913 webster

   6. etching a gummy composition spread over the surface of a
      metal to be etched, to prevent the acid from eating except
      where an opening is made by the needle.
      1913 webster

   7. arch. one of the pieces of wood, flush with the
      plastering, to which moldings, etc., are attached; --
      usually in the plural.
      1913 webster

   note: grounds are usually put up first and the plastering
         floated flush with them.
         1913 webster

   8. mus.
      a a composition in which the bass, consisting of a few
          bars of independent notes, is continually repeated to
          a varying melody.
      b the tune on which descants are raised; the plain song.
          --moore encyc..
          1913 webster

                on that ground i'll build a holy descant.
                                                  --shak.
          1913 webster

   9. elec. a conducting connection with the earth, whereby
      the earth is made part of an electrical circuit.
      1913 webster

   10. pl. sediment at the bottom of liquors or liquids; dregs;
       lees; feces; as, coffee grounds.
       1913 webster

   11. the pit of a theater. obs. --b. jonson.
       1913 webster

   ground angling, angling with a weighted line without a
      float.

   ground annual scots law, an estate created in land by a
      vassal who instead of selling his land outright reserves
      an annual ground rent, which becomes a perpetual charge
      upon the land.

   ground ash. bot. see groutweed.

   ground bailiff mining, a superintendent of mines.
      --simmonds.

   ground bait, bits of bread, boiled barley or worms, etc.,
      thrown into the water to collect the fish, --wallon.

   ground bass or ground base mus., fundamental base; a
      fundamental base continually repeated to a varied melody.
      

   ground beetle zool., one of numerous species of
      carnivorous beetles of the family carabidae, living
      mostly in burrows or under stones, etc.

   ground chamber, a room on the ground floor.

   ground cherry. bot.
       a a genus physalis of herbaceous plants having an
           inflated calyx for a seed pod: esp., the strawberry
           tomato physalis alkekengi. see alkekengl.
       b a european shrub prunus chamaecerasus, with
           small, very acid fruit.

   ground cuckoo. zool. see chaparral cock.

   ground cypress. bot. see lavender cotton.

   ground dove zool., one of several small american pigeons
      of the genus columbigallina, esp. c. passerina of the
      southern united states, mexico, etc. they live chiefly on
      the ground.

   ground fish zool., any fish which constantly lives on the
      botton of the sea, as the sole, turbot, halibut.

   ground floor, the floor of a house most nearly on a level
      with the ground; -- called also in america, but not in
      england, the first floor.

   ground form gram., the stem or basis of a word, to which
      the other parts are added in declension or conjugation. it
      is sometimes, but not always, the same as the root.

   ground furze bot., a low slightly thorny, leguminous
      shrub ononis arvensis of europe and central asia,; --
      called also rest-harrow.

   ground game, hares, rabbits, etc., as distinguished from
      winged game.

   ground hele bot., a perennial herb veronica
      officinalis with small blue flowers, common in europe
      and america, formerly thought to have curative properties.
      

   ground of the heavens astron., the surface of any part of
      the celestial sphere upon which the stars may be regarded
      as projected.

   ground hemlock bot., the yew taxus baccata var.
      canadensisi of eastern north america, distinguished from
      that of europe by its low, straggling stems.

   ground hog. zool.
       a the woodchuck or american marmot arctomys monax.
           see woodchuck.
       b the aardvark.

   ground hold naut., ground tackle. obs. --spenser.

   ground ice, ice formed at the bottom of a body of water
      before it forms on the surface.

   ground ivy. bot. a trailing plant; alehoof. see gill.
      

   ground joist, a joist for a basement or ground floor; a.
      sleeper.

   ground lark zool., the european pipit. see pipit.

   ground laurel bot.. see trailing arbutus, under
      arbutus.

   ground line descriptive geom., the line of intersection
      of the horizontal and vertical planes of projection.

   ground liverwort bot., a flowerless plant with a broad
      flat forking thallus and the fruit raised on peduncled and
      radiated receptacles marchantia polymorpha.

   ground mail, in scotland, the fee paid for interment in a
      churchyard.

   ground mass geol., the fine-grained or glassy base of a
      rock, in which distinct crystals of its constituents are
      embedded.

   ground parrakeet zool., one of several australian
      parrakeets, of the genera callipsittacus and
      geopsittacus, which live mainly upon the ground.

   ground pearl zool., an insect of the family coccidae
      margarodes formicarum, found in ants' nests in the
      bahamas, and having a shelly covering. they are strung
      like beads, and made into necklaces by the natives.

   ground pig zool., a large, burrowing, african rodent
      aulacodus swinderianus about two feet long, allied to
      the porcupines but with harsh, bristly hair, and no
      spines; -- called also ground rat.

   ground pigeon zool., one of numerous species of pigeons
      which live largely upon the ground, as the tooth-billed
      pigeon didunculus strigirostris, of the samoan
      islands, and the crowned pigeon, or goura. see goura,
      and ground dove above.

   ground pine. bot.
       a a blue-flowered herb of the genus ajuga a.
           chamaepitys, formerly included in the genus
           teucrium or germander, and named from its resinous
           smell. --sir j. hill.
       b a long, creeping, evergreen plant of the genus
           lycopodium l. clavatum; -- called also club
           moss.
       c a tree-shaped evergreen plant about eight inches in
           height, of the same genus l. dendroideum found in
           moist, dark woods in the northern part of the united
           states. --gray.

   ground plan arch., a plan of the ground floor of any
      building, or of any floor, as distinguished from an
      elevation or perpendicular section.

   ground plane, the horizontal plane of projection in
      perspective drawing.

   ground plate.
       a arch. one of the chief pieces of framing of a
           building; a timber laid horizontally on or near the
           ground to support the uprights; a ground sill or
           groundsel.
       b railroads a bed plate for sleepers or ties; a
           mudsill.
       c teleg. a metallic plate buried in the earth to
           conduct the electric current thereto. connection to
           the pipes of a gas or water main is usual in cities.
           --knight.

   ground plot, the ground upon which any structure is
      erected; hence, any basis or foundation; also, a ground
      plan.

   ground plum bot., a leguminous plant astragalus
      caryocarpus occurring from the saskatchewan to texas,
      and having a succulent plum-shaped pod.

   ground rat. zool. see ground pig above.

   ground rent, rent paid for the privilege of building on
      another man's land.

   ground robin. zool. see chewink.

   ground room, a room on the ground floor; a lower room.
      --tatler.

   ground sea, the west indian name for a swell of the ocean,
      which occurs in calm weather and without obvious cause,
      breaking on the shore in heavy roaring billows; -- called
      also rollers, and in jamaica, the north sea.

   ground sill. see ground plate a above.

   ground snake zool., a small burrowing american snake
      celuta amoena. it is salmon colored, and has a blunt
      tail.

   ground squirrel. zool.
       a one of numerous species of burrowing rodents of the
           genera tamias and spermophilus, having cheek
           pouches. the former genus includes the eastern
           striped squirrel or chipmunk and some allied western
           species; the latter includes the prairie squirrel or
           striped gopher, the gray gopher, and many allied
           western species. see chipmunk, and gopher.
       b any species of the african genus xerus, allied to
           tamias.

   ground story. same as ground floor above.

   ground substance anat., the intercellular substance, or
      matrix, of tissues.

   ground swell.
       a bot. the plant groundsel. obs. --holland.
       b a broad, deep swell or undulation of the ocean,
           caused by a long continued gale, and felt even at a
           remote distance after the gale has ceased.

   ground table. arch. see earth table, under earth.

   ground tackle naut., the tackle necessary to secure a
      vessel at anchor. --totten.

   ground thrush zool., one of numerous species of
      bright-colored oriental birds of the family pittidae.
      see pitta.

   ground tier.
       a the lowest tier of water casks in a vessel's hold.
           --totten.
       b the lowest line of articles of any kind stowed in a
           vessel's hold.
       c the lowest range of boxes in a theater.

   ground timbers shipbuilding the timbers which lie on the
      keel and are bolted to the keelson; floor timbers.
      --knight.

   ground tit. zool. see ground wren below.

   ground wheel, that wheel of a harvester, mowing machine,
      etc., which, rolling on the ground, drives the mechanism.
      

   ground wren zool., a small california bird chamaea
      fasciata allied to the wrens and titmice. it inhabits
      the arid plains. called also ground tit, and wren tit.
      

   to bite the ground, to break ground. see under bite,
      break.

   to come to the ground, to fall to the ground, to come to
      nothing; to fail; to miscarry.

   to gain ground.
       a to advance; to proceed forward in conflict; as, an
           army in battle gains ground.
       b to obtain an advantage; to have some success; as, the
           army gains ground on the enemy.
       c to gain credit; to become more prosperous or
           influential.

   to get ground, or to gather ground, to gain ground. r.
      "evening mist . . . gathers ground fast." --milton.
      1913 webster

            there is no way for duty to prevail, and get ground
            of them, but by bidding higher.       --south.

   to give ground, to recede; to yield advantage.
      1913 webster

            these nine . . . began to give me ground. --shak.

   to lose ground, to retire; to retreat; to withdraw from the
      position taken; hence, to lose advantage; to lose credit
      or reputation; to decline.

   to stand one's ground, to stand firm; to resist attack or
      encroachment. --atterbury.

   to take the ground to touch bottom or become stranded; --
      said of a ship.
      1913 webster
see also:
background foreground middle-ground brussels lace brussels ground angling 
ground annual ground ash groutweed ground bailiff ground bait 
ground bass ground base ground beetle carabidae ground chamber 
ground cherry physalis physalis alkekengi alkekengl prunus chamaecerasus 
ground cuckoo chaparral cock ground cypress lavender cotton ground dove 
columbigallina c. passerina ground fish ground floor first floor 
ground form ground furze ononis arvensis rest-harrow ground game 
ground hele veronica officinalis ground of the heavens ground hemlock taxus baccata 
ground hog arctomys monax woodchuck ground hold ground ice 
ground ivy gill ground joist ground lark pipit 
ground laurel trailing arbutus arbutus ground line ground liverwort 
marchantia polymorpha ground mail ground mass ground parrakeet callipsittacus 
geopsittacus ground pearl coccidae margarodes formicarum ground pig 
aulacodus swinderianus ground rat ground pigeon didunculus strigirostris goura 
ground pine ajuga a. chamaepitys teucrium lycopodium 
l. clavatum club moss l. dendroideum ground plan ground plane 
ground plate ground plot ground plum astragalus caryocarpus ground rat 
ground rent ground robin chewink ground room ground sea 
rollers the north sea ground sill ground snake celuta amoena 
ground squirrel tamias spermophilus chipmunk gopher 
xerus ground story ground substance ground swell ground table 
ground tackle ground thrush pittidae pitta ground tier 
ground timbers ground tit ground wren ground wheel chamaea fasciata 
ground tit wren tit to bite the ground to break ground bite 
break to come to the ground to fall to the ground to gain ground to get ground 
to gather ground to give ground to lose ground to stand one's ground to take the ground 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

break \break\ br=ak, v. t. imp. broke br=ok, obs.
   brake; p. p. broken br=o"k'n, obs. broke; p. pr.
    vb. n. breaking. oe. breken, as. brecan; akin to os.
   brekan, d. breken, ohg. brehhan, g. brechen, icel. braka to
   creak, sw. braka, braumkka to crack, dan. braekke to
   break, goth. brikan to break, l. frangere. cf. bray to
   pound, breach, fragile.
   1. to strain apart; to sever by fracture; to divide with
      violence; as, to break a rope or chain; to break a seal;
      to break an axle; to break rocks or coal; to break a lock.
      --shak.
      1913 webster

   2. to lay open as by breaking; to divide; as, to break a
      package of goods.
      1913 webster

   3. to lay open, as a purpose; to disclose, divulge, or
      communicate.
      1913 webster

            katharine, break thy mind to me.      --shak.
      1913 webster

   4. to infringe or violate, as an obligation, law, or promise.
      1913 webster

            out, out, hyena these are thy wonted arts . . .
            to break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray.
                                                  --milton
      1913 webster

   5. to interrupt; to destroy the continuity of; to dissolve or
      terminate; as, to break silence; to break one's sleep; to
      break one's journey.
      1913 webster

            go, release them, ariel;
            my charms i'll break, their senses i'll restore.
                                                  --shak.
      1913 webster

   6. to destroy the completeness of; to remove a part from; as,
      to break a set.
      1913 webster

   7. to destroy the arrangement of; to throw into disorder; to
      pierce; as, the cavalry were not able to break the british
      squares.
      1913 webster

   8. to shatter to pieces; to reduce to fragments.
      1913 webster

            the victim broke in pieces the musical instruments
            with which he had solaced the hours of captivity.
                                                  --prescott.
      1913 webster

   9. to exchange for other money or currency of smaller
      denomination; as, to break a five dollar bill.
      1913 webster

   10. to destroy the strength, firmness, or consistency of; as,
       to break flax.
       1913 webster

   11. to weaken or impair, as health, spirit, or mind.
       1913 webster

             an old man, broken with the storms of state.
                                                  --shak.
       1913 webster

   12. to diminish the force of; to lessen the shock of, as a
       fall or blow.
       1913 webster

             i'll rather leap down first, and break your fall.
                                                  --dryden.
       1913 webster

   13. to impart, as news or information; to broach; -- with to,
       and often with a modified word implying some reserve; as,
       to break the news gently to the widow; to break a purpose
       cautiously to a friend.
       1913 webster

   14. to tame; to reduce to subjection; to make tractable; to
       discipline; as, to break a horse to the harness or
       saddle. "to break a colt." --spenser.
       1913 webster

             why, then thou canst not break her to the lute?
                                                  --shak.
       1913 webster

   15. to destroy the financial credit of; to make bankrupt; to
       ruin.
       1913 webster

             with arts like these rich matho, when he speaks,
             attracts all fees, and little lawyers breaks.
                                                  --dryden.
       1913 webster

   16. to destroy the official character and standing of; to
       cashier; to dismiss.
       1913 webster

             i see a great officer broken.        --swift.
       1913 webster

   note: with prepositions or adverbs: 
         1913 webster

   to break down.
       a to crush; to overwhelm; as, to break down one's
           strength; to break down opposition.
       b to remove, or open a way through, by breaking; as, to
           break down a door or wall.

   to break in.
       a to force in; as, to break in a door.
       b to train; to discipline; as, a horse well broken in.
           

   to break of, to rid of; to cause to abandon; as, to break
      one of a habit.

   to break off.
       a to separate by breaking; as, to break off a twig.
       b to stop suddenly; to abandon. "break off thy sins by
           righteousness." --dan. iv. 27.

   to break open, to open by breaking. "open the door, or i
      will break it open." --shak.

   to break out, to take or force out by breaking; as, to
      break out a pane of glass.

   to break out a cargo, to unstow a cargo, so as to unload it
      easily.

   to break through.
       a to make an opening through, as, as by violence or the
           force of gravity; to pass violently through; as, to
           break through the enemy's lines; to break through the
           ice.
       b to disregard; as, to break through the ceremony.

   to break up.
       a to separate into parts; to plow new or fallow
           ground. "break up this capon." --shak. "break up
           your fallow ground." --jer. iv. 3.
       b to dissolve; to put an end to. "break up the court."
           --shak.

   to break one all up, to unsettle or disconcert
      completely; to upset. colloq.
      1913 webster

   note: with an immediate object: 
         1913 webster

   to break the back.
       a to dislocate the backbone; hence, to disable totally.
       b to get through the worst part of; as, to break the
           back of a difficult undertaking.

   to break bulk, to destroy the entirety of a load by
      removing a portion of it; to begin to unload; also, to
      transfer in detail, as from boats to cars.

   to break a code to discover a method to convert coded
      messages into the original understandable text.

   to break cover, to burst forth from a protecting
      concealment, as game when hunted.

   to break a deer or to break a stag, to cut it up and
      apportion the parts among those entitled to a share.

   to break fast, to partake of food after abstinence. see
      breakfast.

   to break ground.
       a to open the earth as for planting; to commence
           excavation, as for building, siege operations, and
           the like; as, to break ground for a foundation, a
           canal, or a railroad.
       b fig.: to begin to execute any plan.
       c naut. to release the anchor from the bottom.

   to break the heart, to crush or overwhelm one with grief.
      

   to break a house law, to remove or set aside with
      violence and a felonious intent any part of a house or of
      the fastenings provided to secure it.

   to break the ice, to get through first difficulties; to
      overcome obstacles and make a beginning; to introduce a
      subject.

   to break jail, to escape from confinement in jail, usually
      by forcible means.

   to break a jest, to utter a jest. "patroclus . . . the
      livelong day breaks scurril jests." --shak.

   to break joints, to lay or arrange bricks, shingles, etc.,
      so that the joints in one course shall not coincide with
      those in the preceding course.

   to break a lance, to engage in a tilt or contest.

   to break the neck, to dislocate the joints of the neck.

   to break no squares, to create no trouble. obs.

   to break a path, road, etc., to open a way through
      obstacles by force or labor.

   to break upon a wheel, to execute or torture, as a criminal
      by stretching him upon a wheel, and breaking his limbs
      with an iron bar; -- a mode of punishment formerly
      employed in some countries.

   to break wind, to give vent to wind from the anus.
      1913 webster

   syn: to dispart; rend; tear; shatter; batter; violate;
        infringe; demolish; destroy; burst; dislocate.
        1913 webster
see also:
broke brake broken broke breaking bray 
breach fragile to break down to break in to break of 
to break off to break open to break out to break out a cargo to break through 
to break up to break all up to break the back to break bulk 
to break a code to break cover to break a deer to break a stag to break fast 
breakfast to break ground to break the heart to break a house to break the ice 
to break jail to break a jest to break joints to break a lance to break the neck 
to break no squares to break a path road to break upon a wheel to break wind 

Break >> B Words
Break, definition of term: Break
break_pag1.html

Break Out >> B Words
Break Out, definition of term: Break Out
break+out_pag1.html

Break Through >> B Words
Break Through, definition of term: Break Through
break+through_pag1.html

Break Up >> B Words
Break Up, definition of term: Break Up
break+up_pag1.html

Break Wind >> B Words
Break Wind, definition of term: Break Wind
break+wind_pag1.html

Break Off >> B Words
Break Off, definition of term: Break Off
break+off_pag1.html

Break Even >> B Words
Break Even, definition of term: Break Even
break+even_pag1.html

Break Apart >> B Words
Break Apart, definition of term: Break Apart
break+apart_pag1.html

Break Away >> B Words
Break Away, definition of term: Break Away
break+away_pag1.html

Break Bread >> B Words
Break Bread, definition of term: Break Bread
break+bread_pag1.html

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