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ground

ground

1.0
The solid surface of the earth that people walk on and plants grow in
  • noun
  • /ɡraʊnd/
translation icon : suelo
  • I love to walk barefoot on the ground in the summer.
  • fertile ground
  • bare ground
  • ground cover

Ban is the view from the ground from beneath the ground.

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Examples

  • I could feel the ground under my feet again.

  • There are people on the ground all the time.

  • The colony is growing and needs more ground for vegetables.

  • Again, he stares at the ground as he formulates what he wants to say.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I dug my bare toes into the ground, my eyes half shut in exhaustion.

    Academic text (2012)
  • The gardener tested the ground to see if it was ready for planting.

  • Don't litter; please keep the ground clean and tidy.

Synonyms

land
vsground
1.0

An area of ground used for farming, building, or as a country

is the immediate physical surface rather than territory or nation
dirt
vsground
476 1.0

Top layer of the ground made of soil and small rocks

is a neutral term for the solid surface without dirty connotation
earth
vsground
363 1.0

The ground or soil under your feet

refers to the local solid surface you walk on or plant in
soil
vsground
325 1.0

Top layer of the ground where plants grow

is the general solid surface rather than this specific plant layer
terrain
vsground
179 3.8

A piece of land with features like hills, rocks, or flat ground

focuses on the surface itself rather than its shape or suitability
grounds
vsground
45 2.8

An area of land set aside for a specific use like a cemetery or park

is the general physical surface, not a site reserved for activities
dry land
vsground
23 1.0

The solid ground on Earth that is not under the sea

is the common term for the surface beneath our feet and plants
topsoil
vsground
14 2.8

The upper layer of soil rich in nutrients where most plants grow roots

means the basic solid surface, not specifically the fertile upper layer
solid ground
vsground
13 1.8

Firm land you can stand on instead of water

is the everyday surface underfoot used for walking and planting
terra firma
vsground
4 5.6

Solid dry land that is not the sea or air

is the everyday walking and planting surface, not only opposed to water
piece of ground
vsground
3 2.8

An area of land used for something, like a garden or park

is the general physical surface rather than a specifically bounded plot
plot of ground
vsground
  • UK
1 2.3

A small piece of land used for growing plants

means the larger everyday surface, not a small cultivated section
surface soil
vsground
  • Specialized
3.4

The top layer of ground that has the most plant food

covers the whole usable surface rather than that narrow upper layer

Antonyms

air
1.0

The mixture of gases people and animals breathe

sky
1.0

The space above the earth that looks blue in daytime

Idioms

To build something completely from the very beginning

into the ground
  • Informal
19 7.3

Make a person or company exhausted to the point of ruin by pushing them too hard

To deal with a larger area or more topics

6 6.8

Careful attention to the latest news and trends

Feeling safe and confident after a time of doubt or worry

Completely right for someone or something

Treat a holy place like a temple with disrespect by damaging or polluting it

Keep a morally better or stronger position in an argument

To pay close attention to what people say and do to know what is happening

Make facts clear by showing proof

Be perfect for someone or something

To admire someone too much and ignore their faults

Compounds

76 3.2

Shared ideas or interests that help people agree and work together

67 4.1

Soldiers and army groups that fight and work on land, not in the air or at sea

61 4.6

The place in New York City where the World Trade Center was before the 2001 terrorist attacks

46 3.1

A basic agreement made at the start to guide how people act

41 4.2

An agreement both sides can accept

high ground
  • Informal
33 4.2

An advantage in an argument or moral debate

25 1.0

A building level at the same height as the street

21 3.9

A place where people are buried, like a cemetery

21 2.4

The height of the ground outside or the floor at that height

19 1.0

Finely chopped meat from a cow used for cooking

17 6.2

The place where a major disaster or attack happens, often the area most affected

13 3.7

An early stage of a company or project before it grows

13 1.8

Firm land you can stand on instead of water

ground ball
  • Jargon
12 3.4

In baseball, a ball hit so it rolls or bounces on the ground

8 3.3

A group of workers who check and fix airplanes at an airport

A fine spice from crushing peppercorns that adds heat to food

A place where people throw away unwanted things, often illegally

7 3.0

On the lowest level of a building that is level with the outside ground

An area where people hunt wild animals for food or sport

7 7.9

A law allowing someone to use force, even deadly force, without first trying to leave when threatened

6 3.6

A place where things start and grow, often causing trouble like crime or fake news

A place where animals go to mate and raise young or where problems start and grow

A place where people try new ideas or products to see if they work

An attack by soldiers on land against enemy positions

A team that talks to pilots and guides planes during landing

A large flat area where soldiers march and stand for ceremonies

4 3.7

Plants that grow low and spread over soil to protect it in gardens

An area of land used for something, like a garden or park

A place where people test new products, skills, or ideas to see if they work

hunting ground
  • Informal
2 4.6

A place where people look for chances to get things they want

air-to-ground
  • Specialized
2 4.7

Used from a plane to attack or send messages to targets on the ground

A small animal that lives in holes in the ground and often has stripes

2 6.3

The exact place on the ground most damaged by a bomb or explosion

2 3.6

A place where a person, group, or animal feels most comfortable, often a team's regular field

ground fire
  • Specialized
1 7.1

A slow burn in the layer of dead leaves and wood under the soil, often without visible flames

burying ground
  • Archaic
1 6.1

An area of land with graves for dead people, like a cemetery

1 9.6

A very large extinct mammal with long claws that lived on land in the Americas long ago

ground state
  • Specialized
1 6.1

The lowest energy level that an atom or particle can have

A place where people put up tents or park camper vans on holiday

air-to-ground missile
  • Specialized
1 5.8

A weapon that a plane fires to hit targets on the ground

A small plant that makes edible berries inside a thin paper husk

1 4.5

A cloth you put under a tent to stop wetness from the ground

ground effect
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A plane gets extra upward lift and less air resistance when it flies very close to the ground

A shiny black or metallic beetle that lives on the ground and eats harmful insects

ground plan
  • Specialized
1 4.1

A drawing that shows the rooms on the ground floor of a building

ground ice
  • Specialized
1 7.2

Frozen water below the ground that forms when water in soil freezes in very cold places

ground stroke
  • Jargon
1 3.5

A tennis hit made after the ball bounces once on the court

1 6.9

A long deep wave in the sea from storms far away or earthquakes

A plant that grows very close to the ground and spreads out

1 2.3

An outdoor place with tables where people eat and relax

1 2.3

A small piece of land used for growing plants

pleasure ground
  • Archaic
1 5.0

A park with rides, games, and places to eat

8.6

A place where farm animals like cows or sheep lie down to sleep at night

bed-ground
  • Archaic
9.9

A place where a group of cattle or sheep sleep at night

6.5

A way to see tiny things under a microscope as bright shapes on a dark background

A slow hard-bodied black beetle that lives on the ground whose young eat rotting plants or stored grain

downy ground cherry
  • Specialized
9.5

A small garden plant with round yellow berries inside a papery husk

A small reddish-grey snake in eastern North America that burrows under leaves and soil

anchorage ground
  • Specialized
7.3

A place in a harbor or at sea where ships can anchor safely

A large squirrel that lives in burrows in far northern North America and hibernates for many months

barren ground caribou
  • Specialized
8.2

A large Arctic deer that lives on the tundra and migrates long distances

A small brown animal with black stripes on its back that lives on the ground in western North America

A dishonest action or position in a debate that shows lack of honesty

9.9

A low plant like mint that spreads across the ground with round leaves and small purple flowers

A low plant like a small juniper that covers the ground in woods

8.9

A low plant that looks like a small evergreen tree but is not a tree

9.9

A small European plant with edible tubers that look like nuts

ground bait
  • Jargon
6.5

Bait you spread on the water or on the bottom to attract fish to a spot

A ball hit on the ground that moves unexpectedly and is hard to field

ground bass
  • Specialized
8.2

A short low tune that repeats while other parts change

ground cable
  • Specialized
5.5

A heavy cable that holds a buoy to an anchor on the seabed

ground glass
  • Specialized
8.0

Very small pieces of glass used like sand to clean or smooth things

A low plant with long creeping stems and upright branches that looks like a small pine tree

How Solid

bedrock
  • Specialized
12 4.7
ground
1.0
soil
325 1.0
sand
485 1.0

Surface Forms

ground singular
grounds plural

Etymology

Ground comes from an old English word grund that meant 'bottom' or 'foundation', so it originally named the earth under your feet and now means the soil or land you walk on.