n.

1. the solid part of the earth's surface;
   land, dry land, earth, solid ground, terra firma
   
   • the plane turned away from the sea and moved back over land
   • the earth shook for several minutes
   • he dropped the logs on the ground
2. a rational motive for a belief or action;
   reason
   
   • the reason that war was declared
   • the grounds for their declaration
3. the loose soft material that makes up a large part of the land surface;
   earth
   
   • they dug into the earth outside the church
4. a relation that provides the foundation for something;
   footing, basis
   
   • they were on a friendly footing
   • he worked on an interim basis
5. a position to be won or defended in battle (or as if in battle)
   
   • they gained ground step by step
   • they fought to regain the lost ground
6. the part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground;
   background
   
   • he posed her against a background of rolling hills
7. material in the top layer of the surface of the earth in which plants can grow (especially with reference to its quality or use);
   land, soil
   
   • the land had never been plowed
   • good agricultural soil
8. a relatively homogeneous percept extending back of the figure on which attention is focused
9. a connection between an electrical device and a large conducting body, such as the earth (which is taken to be at zero voltage);
   earth
10. (art) the surface (as a wall or canvas) prepared to take the paint for a painting
11. the first or preliminary coat of paint or size applied to a surface;
    flat coat, primer, priming, primer coat, priming coat, undercoat

v.

1. fix firmly and stably;
   anchor
   
   • anchor the lamppost in concrete
2. confine or restrict to the ground
   
   • After the accident, they grounded the plane and the pilot
3. place or put on the ground
4. instruct someone in the fundamentals of a subject
5. bring to the ground;
   run aground
   
   • the storm grounded the ship
6. hit or reach the ground;
   run aground
7. throw to the ground in order to stop play and avoid being tackled behind the line of scrimmage
8. hit a groundball
   
   • he grounded to the second baseman
9. hit onto the ground
10. cover with a primer; apply a primer to;
    prime, undercoat
11. connect to a ground
    
    • ground the electrical connections for safety reasons
12. use as a basis for; found on;
    establish, base, found
    
    • base a claim on some observation