gr -abbr
- grade
- grain
- gram
- gravity
- gross
Gr -abbr
- Greece; Greek
graaf·ian follicle [,grä-fē-ən-, ,gra-] -n
- a mature liquid-filled cavity in a mammalian ovary that ruptures during ovulation to release an egg
grab ['grab] -vb, n
- to take or seize by or as if by a sudden motion or grasp
- to obtain unscrupulously
- to take hastily
- to seize the attention of
- the technique of grabbing an audience -- Pauline Kael
- to impress favorably and deeply
- to make a grab
- intended to be grabbed
- taken at random
- something grabbed
- a sudden snatch
- an unlawful or unscrupulous seizure
- a device for clutching an object
- clamshell
grab bag -n
- a receptacle (as a bag) containing small articles which are to be drawn (as at a party or fair) without being seen
- a miscellaneous collection : potpourri
grab·ble ['gra-bəl] -vi, n
- to search with the hand : grope
- to lie or fall prone : sprawl
grab·by ['gra-bē] -adj
- tending to grab : grasping, greedy
- taught the children not to be grabby
- having the power to grab the attention
gra·ben ['grä-bən] -n
- a depressed segment of the crust of the earth or a celestial body (as the moon) bounded on at least two sides by faults
grace ['grās] -n
- unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification
- a virtue coming from God
- a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace
- approval, favor
- stayed in his good grace s
- mercy, pardon
- a special favor : privilege
- each in his place, by right, not grace, shall rule his heritage -- Rudyard Kipling
- disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency
- a temporary exemption : reprieve
- a charming or attractive trait or characteristic
- a pleasing appearance or effect : charm
- all the grace of youth -- John Buchan
- ease and suppleness of movement or bearing
- used as a title of address or reference for a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop
- a short prayer at a meal asking a blessing or giving thanks
- three sister goddesses in Greek mythology who are the givers of charm and beauty
- a musical trill, turn, or appoggiatura
- sense of propriety or right
- had the grace not to run for elective office -- Calvin Trillin
- the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful
- to confer dignity or honor on
- adorn, embellish
- graveled walks graced with statues -- J. A. Michener
grace·ful ['grās-fəl] -adj, adv, n
- displaying grace in form or action : pleasing or attractive in line, proportion, or movement
grace·less ['grās-ləs] -adj, adv, n
- lacking in divine grace : immoral, unregenerate
- lacking a sense of propriety
- devoid of attractive qualities
- artistically inept or unbeautiful
grace note -n
- a musical note added as an ornament
- appoggiatura
- a small addition or embellishment
grace period -n
- a period of time beyond a due date during which a financial obligation may be met without penalty or cancellation
grac·ile ['gra-səl, -,sī(-ə)l] -adj, n
- slender, slight
- graceful
- of, relating to, resembling, or being a relatively small slender australopithecine (genus Australopithecus) characterized esp. by molars and incisors of similar size that are adapted to a diet including both plant matter and animal flesh
gra·ci·o·so [,grä-sē-'ō-(,)sō, -(,)zō] -n
- a buffoon in Spanish comedy
gra·cious ['grā-shəs] -adj, adv, n
- godly
- pleasing, acceptable
- marked by kindness and courtesy
- graceful
- marked by tact and delicacy : urbane
- characterized by charm, good taste, generosity of spirit, and the tasteful leisure of wealth and good breeding
- merciful, compassionate used conventionally of royalty and high nobility
grack·le ['gra-kəl] -n
- any of a genus ( Quiscalusof the family Icteridae) of large American blackbirds having iridescent black plumage
- any of various Asian starlings (as the hill mynahs)
grad ['grad] -n or adj
- graduate
- one hundredth of a right angle
- graduated
gra·da·tion [grā-'dā-shən, grə-] -n, adj, adv
- a series forming successive stages
- a step or place in an ordered scale
- an advance by regular degrees
- a gradual passing from one tint or shade to another
- the act or process of grading
- ablaut
grade ['grād] -n, adj
- a position in a scale of ranks or qualities
- a stage in a process
- a degree of severity in illness
- a class organized for the work of a particular year of a school course
- a military or naval rank
- a class of things of the same stage or degree
- a mark indicating a degree of accomplishment in school
- a standard of food quality
- the degree of inclination of a road or slope
- a sloping road
- a datum or reference level
- ground level
- a domestic animal with one parent purebred and the other of inferior breeding
- the elementary school system
- to arrange in grades : sort
- to arrange in a scale or series
- to assign to a grade or assign a grade to
- to level off to a smooth horizontal or sloping surface
- to form a series
- blend
- to be of a particular grade
- being, involving, or yielding domestic animals of improved but not pure stock
grade crossing -n
- a crossing of highways, railroad tracks, or pedestrian walks or combinations of these on the same level
grade inflation -n
- a rise in the average grade assigned to students
- the assigning of grades higher than previously assigned for given levels of achievement
grade point -n
- one of the points assigned to each course credit (as in a college) in accordance with the letter grade earned in the course called also quality point
grade point average -n
- the average obtained by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of credits attempted called also quality point average
grad·er ['grā-dər] -n
- one that grades
- a machine for leveling earth
- a pupil in a school grade
grade school ['grād-,skü-lər] -n
- elementary school
grade separation -n
- a highway or railroad crossing using an underpass or overpass
grade up -vt
- to improve by breeding females to purebred males
gra·di·ent ['grā-dē-ənt] -n
- the rate of regular or graded ascent or descent : inclination
- a part sloping upward or downward
- change in the value of a quantity (as temperature, pressure, or concentration) with change in a given variable and esp. per unit distance in a specified direction
- the vector sum of the partial derivatives with respect to the three coordinate variables x, y,and zof a scalar quantity whose value varies from point to point
- a graded difference in physiological activity along an axis (as of the body or an embryonic field)
- change in response with distance from the stimulus
gra·di·om·e·ter [,grā-dē-'ä-mə-tər] -n
- an instrument for measuring the gradient of a physical quantity (as the earth's magnetic field)
grad·u·al ['gra-jə-wəl, -jəl, 'graj-wəl] -n
- a book containing the choral parts of the Mass
- a pair of verses (as from the Psalms) proper after the Epistle in the Mass
gradual -adj, adv, n
- proceeding by steps or degrees
- moving, changing, or developing by fine or often imperceptible degrees
grad·u·al·ism [-jə-wə-,li-zəm, -jə-,li-] -n, n or adj, adj
- the policy of approaching a desired end by gradual stages
- the evolution of new species by gradual accumulation of small genetic changes over long periods of time
- a theory or model of evolution emphasizing this
grad·u·and [,gra-jə-'wand] -n
- one about to graduate : a candidate for a degree
grad·u·ate ['gra-jə-wət, -,wāt, 'graj-wət] -n
- a holder of an academic degree or diploma
- a graduated cup, cylinder, or flask
graduate -adj
- holding an academic degree or diploma
- of, relating to, or engaged in studies beyond the first or bachelor's degree
grad·u·ate ['gra-jə-,wāt] -vb, n
- to grant an academic degree or diploma to
- to be graduated from
- to mark with degrees of measurement
- to divide into grades or intervals
- to admit to a particular standing or grade
- to receive an academic degree or diploma
- to pass from one stage of experience, proficiency, or prestige to a usu. higher one
- to change gradually
graduated -adj
- increasing in rate with increase in taxable base : progressive
graduated cylinder -n
- a tall narrow container with a volume scale used esp. for measuring liquids
grad·u·a·tion [,gra-jə-'wā-shən] -n
- a mark on an instrument or vessel indicating degrees or quantity
- these marks
- the award or acceptance of an academic degree or diploma
- commencement
- arrangement in degrees or ranks
graf·fi·ti [grə-'fē-(,)tē, gra-, grä-] -vt
- to draw graffiti on : to deface with graffiti
graffiti -n
- usu. unauthorized writing or drawing on a public surface
graf·fi·to [grə-'fē-(,)tō, gra-, grä-] -n
- an inscription or drawing made on some public surface (as a rock or wall)
- a message or slogan written as or as if as a graffito
graft ['graft] -n
- a grafted plant
- scion
- the point of insertion of a scion upon a stock
- the act of grafting
- something grafted
- living tissue used in grafting
- to cause (a scion) to unite with a stock
- to unite (plants or scion and stock) to form a graft
- to propagate (a plant) by grafting
- to join or unite as if by grafting
- to attach (a chemical unit) to a main molecular chain
- to implant (living tissue) surgically
- to become grafted
- to perform grafting
- work, labor
- to get (illicit gain) by graft
- to practice graft
- the acquisition of gain (as money) in dishonest or questionable ways
- illegal or unfair gain
graft·age ['graf-tij] -n
- the principles and practice of grafting
graftversushost disease -n
- a potentially fatal bodily condition that results when T cells from a tissue or organ transplant and esp. a bone marrow transplant react immunologically against the recipient's antigens attacking cells and tissues
gra·ham cracker ['gram-, 'grā-əm-] -n
- a slightly sweet cracker made of whole wheat flour
graham flour -n
- whole wheat flour
grail ['grāl] -n
- the cup or platter used according to medieval legend by Christ at the Last Supper and thereafter the object of knightly quests
- the object of an extended or difficult quest
grain ['grān] -n, adj
- a single small hard seed
- a seed or fruit of a cereal grass : caryopsis
- the seeds or fruits of various food plants including the cereal grasses and in commercial and statutory usage other plants (as the soybean)
- plants producing grain
- a small hard particle or crystal
- any of the particles produced in a photographic material by its development
- the size of such grains in the aggregate
- an individual crystal in a metal
- a minute portion or particle
- the least amount possible
- kermes or a scarlet dye made from it
- cochineal or a brilliant scarlet dye made from it
- a fast dye
- color, tint
- a granulated surface or appearance
- the outer or hair side of a skin or hide
- a unit of weight based on the weight of a grain of wheat taken as an average of the weight of grains from the middle of the ear
- the stratification of the wood fibers in a piece of wood
- a texture due to constituent particles or fibers
- the direction of threads in cloth
- tactile quality
- natural disposition : temper
- lying goes against my grain
- a basic or characteristic quality
- a prevalent ideology or convention
- teaching against the grain
- ingrain
- to form into grains : granulate
- to paint in imitation of the grain of wood or stone
- to feed with grain
- to become granular : granulate
grain alcohol -n
- ethanol
grain elevator -n
- a building for elevating, storing, discharging, and sometimes processing grain
grain of salt
- a skeptical attitude
grains of paradise
- the pungent seeds of a West African plant ( Aframomum melegueta) of the ginger family that are used as a spice
grain sorghum -n
- any of several sorghums cultivated primarily for grain
grainy ['grā-nē] -adj, n
- resembling or having some characteristic of grain : not smooth or fine
- appearing to be composed of grain-like particles
gram ['gram] -n
- any of several leguminous plants (as a chickpea) grown esp. for their seed
- their seeds
- a metric unit of mass equal to kilogram and nearly equal to the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at its maximum density
- the weight of a gram under the acceleration of gravity
- grandmother
- grammar; grammatical
grama ['gra-mə] -n
- any of several pasture grasses (genus Bouteloua) of the western U.S.
gramatomic weight -n
- the mass of one mole of an element equal in grams to the atomic weight called also gram-atom
gram calorie -n
- calorie
gram equivalent -n
- the quantity of an element, group, or compound that has a mass in grams equal to the equivalent weight
gra·mer·cy [grə-'mər-sē] -interj
- used to express gratitude or surprise
gram·i·ci·din [,gra-mə-'sī-dᵊn] -n
- any of several toxic crystalline polypeptide antibiotics produced by a soil bacterium ( Bacillus brevis) and used against gram-positive bacteria in local infections
gra·min·e·ous [grə-'mi-nē-əs] -adj
- of or relating to a grass
gram·i·niv·o·rous [,gra-mə-'ni-v(ə-)rəs] -adj
- feeding on grass or the seeds of grass
gram·mar ['gra-mər] -n
- the study of the classes of words, their inflections, and their functions and relations in the sentence
- a study of what is to be preferred and what avoided in inflection and syntax
- the characteristic system of inflections and syntax of a language
- a system of rules that defines the grammatical structure of a language
- a grammar textbook
- speech or writing evaluated according to its conformity to grammatical rules
- the principles or rules of an art, science, or technique
- a set of such principles or rules
grammar school -n
- a secondary school emphasizing Latin and Greek in preparation for college
- a British college preparatory school
- a school intermediate between primary school and high school
- elementary school
gram·mat·i·cal [grə-'ma-ti-kəl] -adj, n, adv
- of or relating to grammar
- conforming to the rules of grammar
grammatical meaning -n
- the part of meaning that varies from one inflectional form to another (as from playsto playedto playing)
gramme ['gram] -n
(variant of gram)
- any of several leguminous plants (as a chickpea) grown esp. for their seed
- their seeds
- a metric unit of mass equal to kilogram and nearly equal to the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at its maximum density
- the weight of a gram under the acceleration of gravity
- grandmother
- grammar; grammatical
gram molecular weight -n
- the mass of one mole of a compound equal in grams to the molecular weight called also gram-molecule
Gram·my ['gra-mē] -service mark
- used for the annual presentation of a statuette for notable achievement in the recording industry
gramneg·a·tive ['gram-'ne-gə-tiv] -adj
- not holding the purple dye when stained by Gram's stain used chiefly of bacteria
gram·o·phone ['gra-mə-,fōn] -n
- phonograph
gramps ['gram(p)s] -n
- grandfather
grampos·i·tive ['gram-'pä-zə-tiv, -'päz-tiv] -adj
- holding the purple dye when stained by Gram's stain used chiefly of bacteria
gram·pus ['gram-pəs] -n
- a dolphin ( Grampus griseus) of temperate and tropical seas
- any of various small cetaceans
- the giant whip scorpion ( Mastigoproctus giganteus) of the southern U.S.
Gram's stain ['gramz-] -n
- a method for the differential staining of bacteria by treatment with a watery solution of iodine and the iodide of potassium after staining with a triphenylmethane dye (as crystal violet) called also Gram's method
- the chemicals used in Gram's stain
gramvari·able ['gram-'ver-ē-ə-bəl] -adj
- staining irregularly or inconsistently by Gram's stain
gran ['gran] -n
- grandmother
grana ['grā-nəm] -n
(variant of granum)
- one of the lamellar stacks of chlorophyll-containing thylakoids found in plant chloroplasts
gran·a·dil·la [,gran-ə-'di-lə, -'dē-(y)ə] -n
- any of various usu. egg-shaped to football-shaped passion fruits (esp. of Passiflora quadrangularisand P. edulis) that have juicy aromatic pulp
- a passionflower that produces granadillas
gra·na·ry ['grā-nə-rē, 'gra-] -n
- a storehouse for threshed grain
- a region producing grain in abundance
- a chief source or storehouse
grand ['grand] -adj, adv, n
- having more importance than others : foremost
- having higher rank than others bearing the same general designation
- inclusive, comprehensive
- the grand total of all money paid out
- definitive, incontrovertible
- chief, principal
- large and striking in size, scope, extent, or conception
- lavish, sumptuous
- marked by a regal form and dignity
- fine or imposing in appearance or impression
- lofty, sublime
- writing in the grand style
- pretending to social superiority : supercilious
- intended to impress
- a person of grand gestures
- very good : wonderful
- grand piano
- a thousand dollars
gran·dam ['gran-,dam, -dəm] -n
- grandmother
- an old woman
- a dam's or sire's dam used of an animal
grand·aunt ['grand-'ant, -'änt] -n
- the aunt of one's father or mother called also great-aunt
grand·ba·by ['gran(d)-,bā-bē] -n
- an infant grandchild
grand·child [-,chī(-ə)ld] -n
- the child of one's son or daughter
grand·dad ['gran-,dad] -n
- grandfather
grand·dad·dy [-,da-dē] -n
- grandfather
- one that is the first, earliest, or most venerable of its kind
grand·daugh·ter [-,dȯ-tər] -n
- the daughter of one's son or daughter
grand duchess -n
- a woman who rules a grand duchy in her own right
- the wife or widow of a grand duke
grand duchy -n
- the territory or dominion of a grand duke or grand duchess
grand duke -n
- the sovereign duke of any of various European states
- a male descendant of a Russian czar in the male line
grande dame ['grän-'däm] -n
- a usu. elderly woman of great prestige or ability
- granddaddy
gran·dee [gran-'dē] -n
- a man of elevated rank or station
- a Spanish or Portuguese nobleman of the first rank
gran·deur ['gran-jər, -,ju̇r, -,d(y)u̇r, -d(y)ər] -n
- the quality or state of being grand : magnificence
- the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome -- E. A. Poe
- an instance or example of grandeur
grand·fa·ther ['gran(d)-,fä-thər] -n, adj
- the father of one's father or mother
- ancestor
- granddaddy
grandfather -vt
- to permit to continue under a grandfather clause
grandfather clause -n
- a clause creating an exemption based on circumstances previously existing
- a provision in several southern state constitutions designed to enfranchise poor whites and disenfranchise blacks by waiving high voting requirements for descendants of men voting before 1867
grandfather clock -n
- a tall pendulum clock that stands on the floor called also grandfather grandfather's clock
grand finale -n
- a climactic finale (as of an opera)
grand fir -n
- a lofty fir tree ( Abies grandis) of the northwestern chiefly Pacific coastal region of No. America with cylindrical greenish cones and soft wood
Grand Gui·gnol [,gräⁿ-gēn-'yȯl, -'yōl] -n, adj
- dramatic entertainment featuring the gruesome or horrible
gran·di·flo·ra [,gran-də-'flȯr-ə] -n
- a bush rose derived from crosses of floribunda and hybrid tea roses and characterized by production of blooms both singly and in clusters on the same plant
gran·dil·o·quence [gran-'di-lə-kwən(t)s] -n, adj, adv
- a lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality esp. in language
gran·di·ose ['gran-dē-,ōs, ,gran-dē-'] -adj, adv, n
- characterized by affectation of grandeur or splendor or by absurd exaggeration
- impressive because of uncommon largeness, scope, effect, or grandeur
gran·di·o·so [,grän-dē-'ō-(,)sō, ,gran-, -(,)zō] -adv or adj
- in a broad and noble style used as a direction in music
grand jury -n
- a jury that examines accusations against persons charged with crime and if the evidence warrants makes formal charges on which the accused persons are later tried
grand·kid ['gran(d)-,kid] -n
- grandchild
Grand Lama -n
- dalai lama
grand larceny -n
- larceny of property of a value greater than that fixed as constituting petit larceny
grand·ma ['gran(d)-,mä, -,mȯ; 'gra-,mä, -,mȯ] -n
- grandmother
grand mal ['grän(d)-,mäl, 'gräⁿ-,mäl, -,mal; 'gran(d)-,mal] -n
- severe epilepsy characterized by seizures which are initially tonic and then become clonic and by loss of consciousness
- a seizure characteristic of grand mal
grand manner -n
- an elevated or grand style (as in music or literature)
grand march -n
- an opening ceremony at a ball that consists of a march participated in by all the guests
grand marshal -n
- a person honored as the ceremonial marshal of a parade
grand master -n
- the chief officer of a principal lodge in various fraternal orders (as Freemasonry)
- an expert player (as of chess) who has consistently scored high in international competition
grand·moth·er ['gran(d)-,mə-thər] -n, adj
- the mother of one's father or mother
- a female ancestor
grand·neph·ew ['gran(d)-'nef-(,)yü, chiefly Brit -'nev-] -n
- a grandson of one's brother or sister
grand·niece [-'nēs] -n
- a granddaughter of one's brother or sister
grand old man -n
- a venerated practitioner or former practitioner of an art, profession, or sport
- the grand old man of jazz
grand opera -n
- opera in which the plot is serious or tragic and the entire text is set to music
grand·pa ['gran(d)-,pä, -,pȯ; 'gram-,pä, -,pȯ] -n
- grandfather
grand·par·ent ['gran(d)-,per-ənt] -n, adj
- a parent of one's father or mother
grand piano -n
- a piano with horizontal frame and strings
grand prix ['gräⁿ-'prē] -n
- the highest level of international equestrian competition
- a contest at this level
- one of a series of international formula car races
- a high-level competition in another sport (as sailing) that is often part of a series
grand·sire ['gran(d)-,sī(-ə)r] -n
- grandfather
- forefather
- an aged man
- a dam's or sire's sire used of an animal
grand slam -n, adj
- the winning of all the tricks in one hand of a card game (as bridge)
- a clean sweep or total success
- the winning of all the major or specified tournaments on a tour
- twice won the tennis grand slam
- a home run hit with the bases loaded
grand·son ['gran(d)-,sən] -n
- the son of one's son or daughter
grand·stand [-,stand] -n
- a usu. roofed stand for spectators at a racecourse or stadium
- audience
grandstand -adj
- done for show or to impress onlookers
- to play or act so as to impress onlookers
grand theft -n
- grand larceny
grand tour -n
- an extended tour of the Continent that was formerly a usual part of the education of young British gentlemen
- an extensive and usu. educational tour
grand touring car -n
- a usu. 2-passenger coupe
grand·un·cle ['grand-'əŋ-kəl] -n
- an uncle of one's father or mother
grand unified theory -n
- any of several theories that seek to unite in a single mathematical framework the electromagnetic and weak forces with the strong force or with the strong force and gravity called also grand unification theory
grange ['grānj] -n
- granary, barn
- farm
- a farmhouse with outbuildings
- one of the lodges of a national fraternal association orig. made up of farmers
- the association itself
grang·er ['grān-jər] -n
- a member of a Grange
- farmer, homesteader
grang·er·ism ['grān-jə-,ri-zəm] -n
- the policy or methods of the grangers
gra·ni·ta [grə-'nē-tə] -n
- a coarse-textured ice confection typically made from fruit
gran·ite ['gra-nət] -n, adj
- a very hard natural igneous rock formation of visibly crystalline texture formed essentially of quartz and orthoclase or microcline and used esp. for building and for monuments
- unyielding firmness or endurance
- the cold granite of Puritan formalism -- V. L. Parrington
gran·ite·ware ['gra-nət-,wer] -n
- ironware with grayish or bluish mottled enamel
gra·niv·o·rous [grə-'niv-rəs, grā-, -'ni-və-] -adj
- feeding on seeds or grain
gran·ny ['gra-nē] -n
- grandmother
- a fussy person
- midwife
granny dress -n
- a long loose-fitting dress usu. with high neck and long sleeves
granny flat -n
- an apartment that is adjacent to the main living quarters of a house
granny glasses -n pl
- spectacles with usu. small oval, round, or square lenses and metal frames
granny knot -n
- an insecure knot often made instead of a square knot
Granny Smith [-'smith] -n
- a tart green apple of Australian origin
grano- -comb form
- granite : granitic
grano·di·o·rite [,gra-nō-'dī-ə-,rīt] -n, adj
- a granular intrusive quartzose igneous rock intermediate between granite and quartz-containing diorite with plagioclase predominant over orthoclase
gra·no·la [grə-'nō-lə] -n
- a mixture typically of rolled oats and various added ingredients (as brown sugar, raisins, coconut, and nuts) that is eaten esp. for breakfast or as a snack
grano·lith·ic [,gra-nə-'li-thik] -adj
- relating to or composed of a mixture of crushed granite and cement
grano·phyre ['gran-ə-,fī(-ə)r] -n, adj
- a porphyritic igneous rock chiefly of feldspar and quartz with granular groundmass
grant ['grant] -vt, adj, n
- to consent to carry out for a person : allow fulfillment of
- to permit as a right, privilege, or favor
- luggage allowances grant ed to passengers
- to bestow or transfer formally
- grant a scholarship to a student
- to give the possession or title of by a deed
- to be willing to concede
- to assume to be true
- grant ing that you are correct
- the act of granting
- something granted
- a gift (as of land or money) for a particular purpose
- a transfer of property by deed or writing
- the instrument by which such a transfer is made
- the property so transferred
- a minor territorial division of Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont orig. granted by the state to an individual or institution
grant·ee [gran-'tē] -n
- one to whom a grant is made
grantinaid [,grant-ᵊn-'ād] -n
- a grant or subsidy for public funds paid by a central to a local government in aid of a public undertaking
- a grant or subsidy to a school or individual for an educational or artistic project
Grant's gazelle ['gran(t)s-] -n
- a large tan gazelle ( Gazella granti) of eastern Africa from the Sudan and Ethiopia to Kenya and Uganda with long graceful horns and a white rump bordered with black
grants·man ['gran(t)-smən] -n
- a specialist in grantsmanship
grants·man·ship [-,ship] -n
- the art of obtaining grants
granul- -comb form
- granule
gran·u·lar ['gran-yə-lər] -adj, n
- consisting of or appearing to consist of granules : grainy
- finely detailed
gran·u·late ['gran-yə-,lāt] -vb, n
- to form or crystallize into grains or granules
- to form granulations
- an open granulating wound
gran·u·la·tion [,gran-yə-'lā-shən] -n
- the act or process of granulating : the condition of being granulated
- one of the minute red granules of new capillaries formed on the surface of a wound in healing
- granule
granulation tissue -n
- tissue made up of granulations that temporarily replaces lost tissue in a wound
gran·ule ['gran-(,)yül] -n
- a small particle
- one of numerous particles forming a larger unit
- any of the small short-lived brilliant spots on the sun's photosphere
gran·u·lite ['gran-yə-,līt] -n, adj
- a granular metamorphic rock consisting mainly of feldspar and quartz
gran·u·lo·cyte ['gran-yə-lō-,sīt] -n, adj
- a polymorphonuclear white blood cell with granule-containing cytoplasm
gran·u·lo·cy·to·poi·e·sis ['gran-yə-lō-,sī-tə-pȯi-'ē-səs] -n
- the formation of blood granulocytes typically in the bone marrow
gran·u·lo·ma [,gran-yə-'lō-mə] -n, adj
- a mass or nodule of chronically inflamed tissue with granulations that is usu. associated with an infective process
granuloma in·gui·na·le [-,iŋ-gwə-'na-lē, -'nä-, -'nā-] -n
- a sexually transmitted disease characterized by ulceration and formation of granulations on the genitalia and in the groin area and caused by a bacterium ( Calymmatobacterium granulomatissyn. Donovania granulomatis)
gran·u·lo·sa cell [,gran-yə-'lō-sə-] -n
- one of the estrogen-secreting cells of the epithelial lining of a graafian follicle or its follicular precursor
gran·u·lose ['gran-yə-,lōs] -adj
- granular
- having the surface roughened with granules
gran·u·lo·sis [,gran-yə-'lō-səs] -n
- any of several diseases of lepidopteran larvae marked by minute granular inclusions in infected cells and caused by viruses (genus Granulovirusof the family Baculoviridae)
gra·num ['grā-nəm] -n
- one of the lamellar stacks of chlorophyll-containing thylakoids found in plant chloroplasts
grape ['grāp] -n, adj
- a smooth-skinned juicy greenish-white to deep red or purple berry eaten dried or fresh as a fruit or fermented to produce wine
- any of numerous woody vines (genus Vitisof the family Vitaceae, the grape family) that usu. climb by tendrils, produce grapes, and are nearly cosmopolitan in cultivation
- grapeshot
grape·fruit ['grāp-,früt] -n
- a large citrus fruit with a bitter yellow rind and inner skin and a highly flavored somewhat acid juicy pulp
- a small roundheaded tree ( Citrus paradisi) of the rue family that produces grapefruit
grape hyacinth -n
- any of several small bulbous spring-flowering herbs (genus Muscari) of the lily family with racemes of usu. blue flowers
grape·shot ['grāp-,shät] -n
- an antipersonnel weapon consisting of a cluster of small iron balls shot from a cannon
grape sugar -n
- dextrose
grape·vine ['grāp-,vīn] -n
- grape
- an informal person-to-person means of circulating information or gossip
- heard it through the grapevine
- a secret source of information
grapey ['grā-pē] -adj, n
(variant of grapy)
- of or relating to grapes
- having the taste or aroma of fresh grapes
graph ['graf] -n
- the collection of all points whose coordinates satisfy a given relation (as a function)
- a diagram (as a series of one or more points, lines, line segments, curves, or areas) that represents the variation of a variable in comparison with that of one or more other variables
- a collection of vertices and edges that join pairs of vertices
- to represent by a graph
- to plot on a graph
- a written or printed representation of a basic unit of speech (as a phoneme or syllable)
- grapheme
- a single occurrence of a letter of an alphabet in any of its various shapes
graph·eme ['gra-,fēm] -n, adj, adv
- a unit (as a letter or digraph) of a writing system
- the set of units of a writing system (as letters and letter combinations) that represent a phoneme
gra·phe·mics [gra-'fē-miks] -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- the study and analysis of a writing system in terms of graphemes
graph·ic ['gra-fik] -adj, adv, n
- of or relating to the pictorial arts
- pictorial
- of, relating to, or involving such reproductive methods as those of engraving, etching, lithography, photography, serigraphy, and woodcut
- of or relating to the art of printing
- relating or according to graphics
- formed by writing, drawing, or engraving
- marked by clear lifelike or vividly realistic description
- vividly or plainly shown or described
- of, relating to, or represented by a graph
- of or relating to the written or printed word or the symbols or devices used in writing or printing to represent sound or convey meaning
graphic -n
- a product of graphic art
- the graphic media
- a graphic representation (as a picture, map, or graph) used esp. for illustration
- a pictorial image displayed on a computer screen
- the program's graphic s are impressive
- the art or science of drawing a representation of an object on a two-dimensional surface according to mathematical rules of projection
- the process whereby a computer displays graphics
- a printed message superimposed on a television picture
graph·i·ca·cy ['gra-fə-kə-sē] -n
- the ability to understand, use, or generate graphic images (as maps and diagrams)
graphical user interface -n
- a computer program designed to allow a computer user to interact easily with the computer typically by making choices from menus or groups of icons
graphic arts -n pl
- the fine and applied arts of representation, decoration, and writing or printing on flat surfaces together with the techniques and crafts associated with them
graphic design -n
- the art or profession of using design elements (as typography and images) to convey information or create an effect
- a product of this art
graphic equalizer -n
- an electronic device for adjusting the frequency response of an audio system by means of a number of controls each of which adjusts the response for a band centered on a particular frequency
graphic novel -n
- a fictional story that is presented in comic-strip format and published as a book
graphics tablet -n
- a device by which pictorial information is entered into a computer in a manner similar to drawing
graph·ite ['gra-,fīt] -n, adj
- a soft black lustrous form of carbon that conducts electricity and is used in lead pencils and electrolytic anodes, as a lubricant, and as a moderator in nuclear reactors
- a composite material in which carbon fibers are the reinforcing material
graph·i·tize ['gra-fə-,tīz, -,fīt-īz] -vt, adj, n
- to convert into graphite
grapho- -comb form
- writing
graph·o·lect ['gra-fə-,lekt] -n
- a standard written language
gra·phol·o·gist [gra-'fä-lə-jist] -n
- a specialist in graphology
gra·phol·o·gy [-jē] -n, adj
- the study of handwriting esp. for the purpose of character analysis
graph paper -n
- paper ruled for drawing graphs
graph theory -n
- a branch of mathematics concerned with the study of graphs
grap·nel ['grap-nᵊl] -n
- a small anchor with usu. four or five flukes used esp. to recover a sunken object or to anchor a small boat
grap·pa ['grä-pə] -n
- a dry colorless brandy distilled from fermented grape pomace
grap·ple ['gra-pəl] -n
- the act or an instance of grappling
- a hand-to-hand struggle
- a contest for superiority or mastery
- a bucket similar to a clamshell but usu. having more jaws
grapple ['gra-p(ə-)liŋ] -vb, n
- to seize with or as if with a grapple
- to come to grips with : wrestle
- to bind closely
- to make a ship fast with a grappling hook
- to come to grips
- to use a grapple
grappling -n
- grapnel
- grappling hook
grappling hook -n
- a hook usu. with multiple prongs that is typically attached to a rope and is used for grabbing, grappling, or gripping called also grappling iron
grap·to·lite ['grap-tə-,līt] -n
- any of an extinct class (Graptolithina) of hemichordate colonial marine animals of the Paleozoic era with zooids contained in conical cups along a chitinous support
grapy ['grā-pē] -adj, n
- of or relating to grapes
- having the taste or aroma of fresh grapes
GRAS -abbr
- generally recognized as safe; generally regarded as safe
grasp ['grasp] -vb, adj, n
- to make the motion of seizing : clutch
- to take or seize eagerly
- to clasp or embrace esp. with the fingers or arms
- to lay hold of with the mind : comprehend
- handle
- embrace
- hold, control
- the reach of the arms
- the power of seizing and holding or attaining
- success lay within their grasp
- mental hold or comprehension esp. when broad
- a remarkable grasp of the subject
grasp·ing ['gras-piŋ] -adj, adv, n
- desiring material possessions urgently and excessively and often to the point of ruthlessness
grass ['gras] -n, adj
- herbage suitable or used for grazing animals
- any of a large family (Gramineae syn. Poaceae) of monocotyledonous mostly herbaceous plants with jointed stems, slender sheathing leaves, and flowers borne in spikelets of bracts
- land (as a lawn or a turf racetrack) covered with growing grass
- the horse had never won on grass
- leaves or plants of grass
- a state or place of retirement
- a police informer
- electronic noise on a radarscope that takes the form of vertical lines resembling lawn grass
- marijuana
- to feed (livestock) on grass sometimes without grain or other concentrates
- to cover with grass
- to seed to grass
- to produce grass
- inform often used with on
grass carp -n
- an herbivorous cyprinid fish ( Ctenopharyngodon idella) of eastern Asia that has been introduced elsewhere to control aquatic weeds called also white amur
grass cloth -n
- a lustrous plain textile of usu. loosely woven fibers
grass court -n
- a tennis court with a grass surface
grass·hop·per ['gras-,hä-pər] -n
- any of numerous plant-eating orthopterous insects (Acrididae, Tettigoniidae, and some related families) having the hind legs adapted for leaping and sometimes engaging in migratory flights in which whole regions may be stripped of vegetation
- a cocktail made with creme de menthe, creme de cacao, and light cream
grasshopper sparrow -n
- a small American sparrow ( Ammodramus savannarum) that is grayish brown above with a pale belly and has a high-pitched buzzing song that resembles the stridulation of grasshoppers
grass·land [-,land] -n
- farmland occupied chiefly by forage plants and esp. grasses
- land on which the natural dominant plant forms are grasses and forbs
- an ecological community in which the characteristic plants are grasses
grass·roots ['gras-,rüts, -,ru̇ts] -adj
- basic, fundamental
- the grassroots factor in deciding to buy a house
- being, originating, or operating in or at the grass roots
- a grassroots organization
- grassroots political support
- not adapted from or added to an existing facility or operation : totally new
grass roots -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- the very foundation or source
- the basic level of society or of an organization esp. as viewed in relation to higher or more centralized positions of power
grass tree -n
- any of a genus ( Xanthorrhoea) of Australian plants of the lily family with a thick woody trunk bearing a cluster of stiff linear leaves and a terminal spike of small flowers
grass widow -n
- a discarded mistress
- a woman who has had an illegitimate child
- a woman whose husband is temporarily away from her
- a woman divorced or separated from her husband
grass widower -n
- a man divorced or separated from his wife
- a man whose wife is temporarily away from him
grassy ['gra-sē] -adj
- covered or abounding with grass
- having a flavor or odor of grass
- wine with a grassy bouquet
- resembling grass esp. in color
grat ['grēt] -vt, n
(variant of greet)
- to address with expression of kind wishes upon meeting or arrival
- greet ed guests at the door
- to meet or react to in a specified manner
- to occur as a response to
- to appear to the perception of
- a surprising sight greet ed her eyes
- weep, lament
grate ['grāt] -vb, n, adv
- abrade
- to reduce to small particles by rubbing on something rough
- fret, irritate
- to gnash or grind noisily
- to cause to make a rasping sound
- to utter in a harsh voice
- to rub or rasp noisily
- to cause irritation : jar
- a voice that grate s on the nerves
- a barred frame for cooking over a fire
- a frame or bed of iron bars to hold a stove or furnace fire
- fireplace
- grating
- cage, prison
- to furnish with a grate
grate·ful ['grāt-fəl] -adj, adv, n
- appreciative of benefits received
- expressing gratitude
- affording pleasure or contentment : pleasing
- pleasing by reason of comfort supplied or discomfort alleviated
grat·i·cule ['gra-tə-,kyül] -n
- reticle
- the network of lines of latitude and longitude upon which a map is drawn
grat·i·fi·ca·tion [,gra-tə-fə-'kā-shən] -n
- reward, recompense
- gratuity
- the act of gratifying : the state of being gratified
- a source of satisfaction or pleasure
grat·i·fy ['gra-tə-,fī] -vt
- remunerate, reward
- to be a source of or give pleasure or satisfaction to
- it gratified him to have his wife wear jewels -- Willa Cather
- to give in to : indulge, satisfy
grat·i·fy·ing [-iŋ-lē] -adj, adv
- giving pleasure or satisfaction : pleasing
gra·tin ['gra-tᵊn, 'grä-] -n
- a brown crust formed on food that has been cooked au gratin
- a dish so cooked
- upper crust
- the gratin of London society
gra·ti·ne [,gra-tə-'nā, ,grä-] -adj
- au gratin
gra·ti·nee [,gra-tə-'nā, ,grä-] -vt
- to cook au gratin
grating -n
- a wooden or metal lattice used to close or floor an opening
- a partition, covering, or frame of parallel bars or crossbars
- a system of close equidistant and parallel lines or bars ruled on a polished surface to produce spectra by diffraction
gra·tis ['gra-təs, 'grā-] -adv or adj
- without charge or recompense : free
- the food was supplied gratis
grat·i·tude ['gra-tə-,tüd, -,tyüd] -n
- the state of being grateful : thankfulness
gra·tu·itous [grə-'tü-ə-təs, -'tyü-] -adj, adv, n
- given unearned or without recompense
- not involving a return benefit, compensation, or consideration
- costing nothing : free
- not called for by the circumstances : unwarranted
gra·tu·ity [grə-'tü-ə-tē, -'tyü-] -n
- something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usu. for some service
- tip
grat·u·late ['gra-chə-,lāt] -vt, n, adj
- congratulate
grau·pel ['grau̇-pəl] -n
- granular snow pellets called also soft hail
Grau·stark ['grau̇-,stärk, 'grȯ-] -n, adj
- an imaginary land of high romance
- a highly romantic piece of writing
gra·va·men [grə-'vā-mən] -n
- the material or significant part of a grievance or complaint
grave ['grāv] -vt
- dig, excavate
- to carve or shape with a chisel : sculpture
- to carve or cut (as letters or figures) into a hard surface : engrave
- to impress or fix (as a thought) deeply
- an excavation for burial of a body
- a burial place
- death
- death
- to clean and pay with pitch
- authoritative, weighty
- meriting serious consideration : important
- likely to produce great harm or danger
- significantly serious : considerable, great
- having a serious and dignified quality or demeanor
- a grave and thoughtful look
- drab in color : somber
- low-pitched in sound
- having the form
- marked with a grave accent
- of the variety indicated by a grave accent
- a grave accent used to show that a vowel is pronounced with a fall of pitch (as in ancient Greek), that a vowel has a certain quality (as ein French), that a final eis stressed and close and that a final ois stressed and low (as in Italian), that a syllable has a degree of stress between maximum and minimum (as in phonetic transcription), or that the eof the English ending -edis to be pronounced (as in this cursed day)
gra·ve ['grä-(,)vā] -adv or adj
- slowly and solemnly used as a direction in music
grav·el ['gra-vəl] -n
- sand
- loose rounded fragments of rock
- a stratum or deposit of gravel
- a surface covered with gravel
- small calculi in the kidneys and urinary bladder
gravel ['grav-liŋ, 'gra-və-] -vt
- to cover or spread with gravel
- perplex, confound
- irritate, nettle
- disappointed...and gravel ed him a good deal -- Mark Twain
- gravelly used of the human voice
grav·elblind ['gra-vəl-,blīnd] -adj
- having very weak vision
grave·less ['grāv-ləs] -adj
- not buried
- not requiring graves : deathless
- the graveless home of the blessed
grav·el·ly ['grav-lē, 'gra-və-] -adj
- of, containing, or covered with gravel
- having a rough or grating sound
graven image -n
- an object of worship carved usu. from wood or stone : idol
grav·er ['grā-vər] -n
- sculptor, engraver
- any of various cutting or shaving tools used in graving or in hand metal-turning
Graves' disease ['grāvz-] -n
- a common form of hyperthyroidism characterized by goiter and often a slight protrusion of the eyeballs
grave·side ['grāv-,sīd] -n
- the area beside a grave
grave·stone ['grāv-,stōn] -n
- a burial monument
grave·yard [-,yärd] -n
- cemetery
- something resembling a graveyard
graveyard shift -n
- a work shift beginning late at night (as 11 o'clock)
- the workers on such a shift
gravi- -comb form
- weight
grav·id ['gra-vəd] -adj, n
- pregnant
- distended with or full of eggs
grav·i·da ['gra-və-də] -n
- a pregnant woman often used with a number to indicate the number of pregnancies a woman has had
gra·vi·me·ter [gra-'vi-mə-tər, 'gra-və-,mē-] -n
- a sensitive weighing instrument for measuring variations in a gravitational field (as of a planet)
gravi·met·ric [,gra-və-'me-trik] -adj, adv
- of or relating to measurement by weight
- of or relating to variations in the gravitational field determined by means of a gravimeter
gra·vim·e·try [gra-'vi-mə-trē] -n
- the measurement of weight, a gravitational field, or density
graving dock -n
- dry dock
grav·i·tas ['gra-və-,täs, -,tas] -n
- high seriousness (as in a person's bearing or in the treatment of a subject)
grav·i·tate ['gra-və-,tāt] -vi
- to move under the influence of gravitation
- to move toward something
- to be drawn or attracted esp. by natural inclination
- youngsters...gravitate toward a strong leader -- Rose Friedman
grav·i·ta·tion [,gra-və-'tā-shən] -n, adj, adv
- a force manifested by acceleration toward each other of two free material particles or bodies or of radiant-energy quanta : gravity
- the action or process of gravitating
gravitational lens -n
- a massive celestial object (as a galaxy) that bends and focuses the light of another more distant object (as a quasar) by gravity and that is usu. detected by the multiple images it forms of the second object
gravitational radiation -n
- a series of gravitational waves
- the generation of such waves (as by a celestial object)
gravitational wave -n
- a hypothetical wave held to travel at the speed of light and to propagate the gravitational field
grav·i·ti·no [,gra-və-'tē-nō] -n
- a hypothetical fermion that is associated with the graviton in theories of supergravity
grav·i·ton ['gra-və-,tän] -n
- a hypothetical particle with zero charge and rest mass that is held to be the quantum of the gravitational field
grav·i·ty ['gra-və-tē] -n
- dignity or sobriety of bearing
- importance, significance
- seriousness
- a serious situation or problem
- weight
- the gravitational attraction of the mass of the earth, the moon, or a planet for bodies at or near its surface
- a fundamental physical force that is responsible for interactions which occur because of mass between particles, between aggregations of matter (as stars and planets), and between particles (as photons) and aggregations of matter, that is 10 -39times the strength of the strong force, and that extends over infinite distances but is dominant over macroscopic distances esp. between aggregations of matter called also gravitation gravitational force
- acceleration of gravity
- specific gravity
gravity wave -n
- a wave in a fluid (as the ocean or the atmosphere) which is propagated because of the tendency of gravity to maintain a uniform level or in which gravity is the restoring force
- gravitational wave
grav·lax ['gräv-,läks] -n
- salmon usu. cured with salt, pepper, dill, and aquavit
gra·vure [grə-'vyu̇r, grā-] -n
- photogravure
gra·vy ['grā-vē] -n
- a sauce made from the thickened and seasoned juices of cooked meat
- something additional or unexpected that is pleasing or valuable
- with expenses now paid, future money is pure gravy -- K. Crossen
- unearned or illicit gain : graft
gravy train -n
- a much exploited source of easy money
- gravy
gray ['grā] -adj, adv, n
- of the color gray
- tending toward gray
- dull in color
- having the hair gray : hoary
- clothed in gray
- lacking cheer or brightness in mood, outlook, style, or flavor
- dismal, gloomy
- prosaically ordinary : dull, uninteresting
- having an intermediate and often vaguely defined position, condition, or character
- something (as an animal, garment, cloth, or spot) of a gray color
- any of a series of neutral colors ranging between black and white
- a soldier in the Confederate army during the American Civil War
- the Confederate army
- to make gray
- to become gray
- age
- to contain an increasing percentage of older people
- the mks unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of one joule per kilogram of irradiated material abbr. Gy
gray·beard ['grā-,bird] -n
- an old man
gray birch -n
- a small birch ( Betula populifolia) of northeastern No. America that has many lateral branches, grayish-white bark, triangular leaves, and soft weak wood and that occurs esp. in old fields reverting to woodland
- yellow birch
gray eminence -n
- a person who exercises power behind the scenes
gray·fish ['grā-,fish] -n
- dogfish
gray fox -n
- a fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus) with coarse gray hair and white underparts that occurs from southern Canada to northern So. America
gray·ish ['grā-ish] -adj
- somewhat gray
- low in saturation
gray·ling ['grā-liŋ] -n
- any of several freshwater salmonoid fishes (genus Thymallus) valued as food and sport fishes
gray literature -n
- written material (as a report) that is not published commercially or is not generally accessible
gray market -n
- a market employing irregular but not illegal methods
- a market that legally circumvents authorized channels of distribution to sell goods at prices lower than those intended by the manufacturer
gray matter -n
- neural tissue esp. of the brain and spinal cord that contains nerve-cell bodies as well as nerve fibers and has a brownish-gray color
- brains, intellect
gray scale ['grā-,skāl] -n, adj
- a series of regularly spaced tones ranging from black to white through intermediate shades of gray
- an image composed solely of gray scale tones
gray squirrel -n
- a common light gray to black squirrel ( Sciurus carolinensis) that is native to eastern No. America and has been introduced into Great Britain and So. Africa
gray·wacke ['grā-,wak, -,wa-kə] -n
- a coarse usu. dark gray sandstone or fine-grained conglomerate composed of firmly cemented fragments (as of quartz or feldspar)
gray water -n
- household wastewater (as from a sink or bath) that does not contain serious contaminants (as from toilets or diapers)
gray whale -n
- a large baleen whale ( Eschrichtius robustus) of the northern Pacific having short jaws and no dorsal fin
gray wolf -n
- a large usu. gray Holarctic wolf ( Canis lupus) now rare in the more southern parts of its range called also timber wolf
graze ['grāz] -vb, adj, n
- to feed on growing herbage, attached algae, or phytoplankton
- to eat small portions of food throughout the day
- to crop and eat in the field
- to feed on the herbage of
- to put to graze
- to put cattle to graze on
- to supply herbage for the grazing of
- an act of grazing
- herbage for grazing
- to touch lightly in passing
- abrade, scratch
- grazed her knee when she fell
- to touch or rub against something in passing
- a scraping along a surface or an abrasion made by it
- a superficial abrasion of the skin
gra·zier ['grā-zhər] -n
- a person who grazes cattle
- rancher
- a sheep raiser
grazing -n
- herbage or land for grazing
GRE [,jē-,är-'ē] -trademark
- used for a series of standardized tests designed to evaluate qualification for admission to graduate education programs
grease ['grēs] -n, adj
- rendered animal fat
- oily matter
- a thick lubricant
- wool as it comes from the sheep retaining the natural oils or fats
- to smear or daub with grease
- to lubricate with grease
- to soil with grease
- to hasten the process or progress of
- facilitate
grease·ball ['grēs-,bȯl] -n
- a person of Hispanic or Mediterranean descent
grease monkey -n
- mechanic
grease·paint ['grēs-,pānt] -n
- a melted tallow or grease used in theater makeup
- theater makeup
grease pencil -n
- a pencil in which the marking substance is pigment and grease
greaseproof paper -n
- a heavy stiff waxed paper called also greaseproof
greas·er ['grē-zər, -sər] -n
- one that greases
- a native or inhabitant of Latin America or a Mediterranean land
- mexican
- an aggressive swaggering young white male usu. of working-class background
grease·wood ['grēs-,wu̇d] -n
- a low stiff shrub ( Sarcobatus vermiculatus) of the goosefoot family common in alkaline soils in the western U.S.
- any of various related or similar shrubs
greasy ['grē-sē, -zē] -adj, adv, n
- smeared or soiled with grease
- oily in appearance, texture, or manner
- his greasy smile -- Jack London
- slippery
- containing an unusual amount of grease
greasy spoon -n
- a dingy small cheap restaurant
great ['grāt, Southern also 'gre(ə)t] -adj, n
- notably large in size : huge
- of a kind characterized by relative largeness used in plant and animal names
- elaborate, ample
- large in number or measure : numerous
- predominant
- remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness
- full of emotion
- eminent, distinguished
- chief or preeminent over others often used in titles
- aristocratic, grand
- long continued
- principal, main
- a reception in the great hall
- more remote in a family relationship by a single generation than a specified relative
- markedly superior in character or quality
- noble
- remarkably skilled
- marked by enthusiasm : keen
- used as a generalized term of approval
- in a great manner : successfully, well
- an outstandingly superior or skillful person
- a tribute to the great s of baseball
great ape -n
- any of a family (Pongidae) of primates including the gorilla, orangutan, and chimpanzees called also pongid
great auk -n
- an extinct large flightless auk ( Pinguinus impennis) formerly abundant along No. Atlantic coasts
greataunt -n
- grandaunt
Great Bear -n
- ursa major
great blue heron -n
- a large slaty-blue American heron ( Ardea herodias) with a crested head
great circle -n
- a circle formed on the surface of a sphere by the intersection of a plane that passes through the center of the sphere
- such a circle on the surface of the earth an arc of which connecting two terrestrial points constitutes the shortest distance on the earth's surface between them
great·coat ['grāt-,kōt] -n
- a heavy overcoat
Great Dane -n
- any of a breed of tall massive powerful smooth-coated dogs
great divide -n
- a significant point of division
- death
great egret -n
- a large white heron ( Ardea albasyn. Casmerodius albus) with a yellow bill and black legs and feet that occurs in New and Old World temperate and tropical regions
great·en ['grā-tᵊn] -vb
- to make greater
- to become greater
great·er ['grā-tər] -adj
- consisting of a central city together with adjacent areas that are naturally or administratively connected with it
greater yellowlegs -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- a common No. American bird of marsh and shore ( Tringa melanoleuca) that is largely gray above and white below with black or dark gray flecks and yellow legs
greatest common divisor -n
- the largest integer or the polynomial of highest degree that is an exact divisor of each of two or more integers or polynomials called also greatest common factor
great group -n
- a category below the suborder and above the subgroup in the hierarchy of soil classification comprising one or more subgroups based on similarities in horizons or characteristics of moisture or temperature called also great soil group
great·heart·ed ['grāt-,här-təd] -adj, adv, n
- characterized by bravery : courageous
- generous, magnanimous
great horned owl -n
- a large American owl ( Bubo virginianus) with conspicuous ear tufts
great house -n
- the main house of an estate or plantation
great laurel -n
- a large-leaved evergreen rhododendron ( Rhododendron maximum) of eastern No. America with rosy bell-shaped flowers more or less speckled with green called also rosebay rhododendron
great·ly ['grāt-lē] -adv
- to a great extent or degree : very much
- contributed greatly to improved relations
- in a great manner : nobly, magnanimously
- a man may live greatly in the law -- O. W. Holmes 1935
Great Mogul -n
- the sovereign of the empire founded in India by the Moguls in the 16th century
greatnephew -n
- grandnephew
greatniece -n
- grandniece
great northern bean -n
- a large white kidney bean
great power -n
- one of the nations that figure most decisively in international affairs : superpower
Great Pyr·e·nees [-'pir-ə-,nēz] -n
- any of a breed of large heavy-coated white dogs often used to guard livestock
great room -n
- a large room in a residence usu. serving several functions (as of a dining room, living room, and family room)
Great Russian -n, adj
- russian
great seal -n
- a large seal that constitutes an emblem of sovereignty and is used esp. for the authentication of important documents
great skua -n
- a large seabird ( Stercorarius skuasyn. Catharacta skua) that is related to the jaegers, has dusky plumage and broad rounded wings, breeds chiefly along arctic and antarctic shores, and forages over most cold and temperate seas
greatuncle -n
- granduncle
great vowel shift -n
- a change in pronunciation of the long vowels of Middle English that began in the 15th century and continued into the 16th century in which the high vowels were diphthongized and the other vowels were raised
great white shark -n
- a large mackerel shark ( Carcharodon carcharias) of warm seas that is bluish when young but becomes whitish with age and is a man-eater called also white shark
great year -n
- the period of about 25,800 years required for one complete cycle of the equinoxes around the ecliptic
greave ['grēv] -n
- armor for the shin
grebe ['grēb] -n
- any of a family (Podicipedidae) of swimming and diving birds closely related to the loons but having lobed toes
Gre·cian ['grē-shən] -adj, n, vt
- greek
Gre·cism ['grē-,si-zəm] -n
- a Greek idiom
- a quality or style imitative of Greek art or culture
gre·cize [-,sīz] -vt
- to make Greek or Hellenistic in character
Gre·co- ['gre-kō, 'grē-] -comb form
- Greece : Greeks
- Greek and
gree ['grē] -n
- mastery, superiority
- agree
greed ['grēd] -n
- a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed
greedy ['grē-dē] -adj, adv, n
- having a strong desire for food or drink
- marked by greed : having or showing a selfish desire for wealth and possessions
- eager, keen
Greek ['grēk] -n
- a native or inhabitant of ancient or modern Greece
- a person of Greek descent
- the language used by the Greeks from prehistoric times to the present constituting a branch of Indo-European
- ancient Greek as used from the time of the earliest records to the end of the second century a.d.
- something unintelligible
- a member of a Greek-letter fraternity or sorority
- of, relating to, or characteristic of Greece, the Greeks, or Greek
- eastern orthodox
- of or relating to an Eastern church using the Byzantine rite in Greek
- of or relating to the established Orthodox church of Greece
- of or relating to fraternities or sororities
Greek Catholic -n
- a member of an Eastern rite of the Roman Catholic Church
- a member of an Eastern church
Greek cross -n
- a cross having an upright and a transverse shaft equal in length and intersecting at their middles
Greek fire -n
- an incendiary composition used in warfare by the Byzantine Greeks that is said to have burst into flame on wetting
Greek·less ['grēk-ləs] -adj
- not proficient in Greek
Greek Orthodox -adj
- eastern orthodox
- greek
Greek Revival -n
- a style of architecture in the first half of the 19th century marked by the use or imitation of Greek orders
- a style of decoration (as of furniture) using or imitating the decorative motifs of ancient Greece
green ['grēn] -adj, n, adv
- of the color green
- covered by green growth or foliage
- mild, clement
- consisting of green plants and usu. edible herbage
- pleasantly alluring
- youthful, vigorous
- not ripened or matured
- fresh, new
- marked by a pale, sickly, or nauseated appearance
- envious used esp. in the phrase green with envy
- : not fully processed or treated: as
- not aged
- not dressed or tanned
- freshly sawed
- not in condition for a particular use
- deficient in training, knowledge, or experience
- deficient in sophistication and savoir faire : naive
- not fully qualified for or experienced in a particular function
- relating to or being an environmentalist political movement
- concerned with or supporting environmentalism
- tending to preserve environmental quality (as by being recyclable, biodegradable, or nonpolluting)
- to become green
- to make green
- rejuvenate, revitalize
- a color whose hue is somewhat less yellow than that of growing fresh grass or of the emerald or is that of the part of the spectrum lying between blue and yellow
- something of a green color
- : green vegetation: as
- leafy parts of plants for use as decoration
- leafy herbs (as spinach, dandelions, or Swiss chard) that are cooked as a vegetable
- green vegetables
- : a grassy plain or plot: as
- a common or park in the center of a town or village
- putting green
- money
- greenbacks
- environmentalist
- a member of an activist political party focusing on environmental and social issues
green alga -n
- any of a division (Chlorophyta) of green-colored algae that have chloroplasts and occur esp. in freshwater
green·back ['grēn-,bak] -n
- a legal-tender note issued by the U.S. government
green·back·er [-,ba-kər] -n
- a member of a post-Civil War American political party opposing reduction in the amount of paper money in circulation
- one who advocates a paper currency backed only by the U.S. government
green bean -n
- a kidney bean that is used as a snap bean when the pods are colored green
green·belt ['grēn-,belt] -n
- a belt of parkways, parks, or farmlands that encircles a community
Green Beret -n
- a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces
green·bri·er [-,brī(-ə)r] -n
- any of a genus ( Smilax) of woody or herbaceous vines of the lily family
- a prickly vine ( S. rotundifolia) of the eastern U.S. with umbels of small greenish flowers
green·bug [-,bəg] -n
- a green aphid ( Schizaphis graminum) that is a pest esp. of cereal and forage grasses
green card -n
- an identity card attesting the permanent resident status of an alien in the U.S.
greencollar ['grēn-'kä-lər] -adj
- of, relating to, or involving actions for protecting the natural environment
green corn -n
- the young tender ears of Indian corn
green dragon -n
- a No. American herb ( Arisaema dracontium) of the arum family with digitate leaves, slender green spathe, and elongated spadix
greener pastures -n pl
- a better or more promising situation
green·ery ['grēn-rē, 'grē-nə-rē] -n
- green foliage or plants
- green
greeneyed ['grē-,nīd] -adj
- jealous
greeneyed monster -n
- jealousy
green·field ['grēn-,fēld] -n
- land (as a potential industrial site) not previously developed or polluted
green·finch ['grēn-,finch] -n
- a very common European finch ( Carduelis chloris) having olive-green and yellow plumage
green fingers -n pl
- green thumb
green flash -n
- a momentary green appearance of the uppermost part of the sun's disk at sunrise or sunset that results from atmospheric refraction
green·fly ['grēn-,flī] -n
- aphid
- green peach aphid
green·gage [-,gāj] -n
- any of several rather small rounded greenish or greenish-yellow cultivated plums
green gland -n
- one of a pair of large green glands in some crustaceans (as crayfishes) that have an excretory function and open at the bases of the larger antennae
green·gro·cer ['grēn-,grō-sər, -shər] -n
- a retailer of fresh vegetables and fruit
green·head ['grēn-,hed] -n
- any of several green-eyed horseflies (as Tabanus nigrovittatus)
green·heart [-,härt] -n
- a tropical So. American evergreen tree ( Ocotea rodiaeisyn. Nectandra rodiaei) of the laurel family with a hard greenish wood
- its wood
green heron -n
- a small yellow-legged American heron ( Butorides virescenssyn. B. striatus) with a greenish back and chestnut neck and chest called also green-backed heron
green·horn [-,hȯrn] -n
- an inexperienced or naive person
- a newcomer (as to a country) unacquainted with local manners and customs
green·house [-,hau̇s] -n
- a structure enclosed (as by glass) and used for the cultivation or protection of tender plants
- a clear plastic shell (as a canopy) covering a section of an airplane
- a compartment (as for a bombardier) enclosed by such a shell
greenhouse -adj
- of, relating to, contributing to, or caused by the greenhouse effect
greenhouse effect -n
- warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of a planet (as Earth or Venus) that is caused by conversion of solar radiation into heat in a process involving selective transmission of short wave solar radiation by the atmosphere, its absorption by the planet's surface, and reradiation as infrared which is absorbed and partly reradiated back to the surface by atmospheric gases
green·ing ['grē-niŋ] -n
- any of several green-skinned apples
green·keep·er ['grēn-,kē-pər] -n
- a person responsible for the care and upkeep of a golf course
green·let ['grēn-lət] -n
- vireo
green light ['grēn-,līt] -n, vt
- authority or permission to proceed
green·ling ['grēn-liŋ] -n
- any of several bony fishes (family Hexagrammidae) of the rocky coasts of the northern Pacific
- a common food and sport fish ( Hexagrammos decagrammus)
green·mail ['grēn-,māl] -n, vt
- the practice of buying enough of a company's stock to threaten a hostile takeover and reselling it to the company at a price above market value
- the money paid for such stock
green manure -n, vt
- an herbaceous crop (as clover) plowed under while green to enrich the soil
green mold -n
- a green or green-spored mold (as of the genera Penicilliumor Aspergillus)
green monkey -n
- a long-tailed monkey of any of several African subspecies of a guenon ( Cercopithecus aethiopssyn. Chloroebus aethiops) having greenish-appearing hair and often used in medical research called also vervet
gree·nock·ite ['grē-nə-,kīt] -n
- a mineral consisting of native cadmium sulfide occurring esp. in yellow translucent hexagonal crystals
green onion -n
- a young onion pulled before the bulb has enlarged and used esp. in salads
green paper -n
- a government document that proposes and invites discussion on approaches to a problem
green peach aphid -n
- a nearly cosmopolitan yellowish-green aphid ( Myzus persicae) that is frequently a vector of plant virus diseases
green pepper -n
- a sweet pepper before it turns red at maturity
green revolution -n
- the great increase in production of food grains (as rice and wheat) due to the introduction of high-yielding varieties, to the use of pesticides, and to better management techniques
green·room ['grēn-,rüm, -,ru̇m] -n
- a room (as in a theater or studio) where performers can relax before or after appearances
green·sand [-,sand] -n
- a sedimentary deposit that consists largely of dark greenish grains of glauconite often mingled with clay or sand
greens fee ['grēnz-] -n
- a fee paid for the privilege of playing on a golf course called also green fee
green·shank ['grēn-,shaŋk] -n
- an Old World sandpiper ( Tringa nebularia) with greenish legs and a slightly upturned bill
green·sick·ness [-,sik-nəs] -n, adj
- chlorosis
green snake -n
- either of two bright green harmless largely insectivorous No. American colubrid snakes ( Opheodrys vernalisand O. aestivus)
green soap -n
- a soft soap made from vegetable oils and used esp. in the treatment of skin diseases
green·stick fracture ['grēn-,stik-] -n
- a bone fracture in a young individual in which the bone is partly broken and partly bent
green·stone ['grēn-,stōn] -n
- nephrite
- any of numerous usu. altered dark green compact rocks (as diorite)
green·stuff [-,stəf] -n
- green vegetation used as foodstuff
green sunfish -n
- a sunfish ( Lepomis cyanellus) of the Great Lakes region and southwestward to the Rio Grande that is largely greenish above with a blue spot on many of the scales
green·sward [-,swȯrd] -n
- turf that is green with growing grass
green tea -n
- tea that is light in color from incomplete fermentation of the leaf before firing
green thumb ['grēn-'thəmd] -n, adj
- an unusual ability to make plants grow
green turtle -n
- a large usu. herbivorous sea turtle ( Chelonia mydas) of warm waters with a smooth greenish or olive-colored shell
green vegetable -n
- a vegetable whose foliage or foliage-bearing stalks are the chief edible part
green·wash·ing ['grēn-,wȯ-shiŋ, -,wä-] -n
- expressions of environmentalist concerns esp. as a cover for products, policies, or activities
green·way ['grēn-,wā] -n
- a corridor of undeveloped land preserved for recreational use or environmental protection
Green·wich mean time ['gri-nij-, 'gre-, -nich-] -n
- the mean solar time of the meridian of Greenwich used historically as the prime basis of standard time throughout the world called also Greenwich time
green·wing ['grēn-,wiŋ] -n
- green-winged teal
greenwinged teal ['grēn-,wiŋ(d)-] -n
- a small Holarctic dabbling duck ( Anas crecca) the male of which has a chestnut head with a green eye patch and a metallic green area on the wing speculum
green·wood ['grēn-,wu̇d] -n
- a forest that is green with foliage
greet ['grēt] -vt, n
- to address with expression of kind wishes upon meeting or arrival
- greet ed guests at the door
- to meet or react to in a specified manner
- to occur as a response to
- to appear to the perception of
- a surprising sight greet ed her eyes
- weep, lament
greet·ing -n
- a salutation at meeting
- an expression of good wishes : regards usu. used in plural
greeting card -n
- a piece of paper or thin cardboard having any of a variety of shapes and formats and bearing a greeting or message of sentiment
greg·a·rine ['gre-gə-,rīn] -n, adj
- any of a subclass (Gregarinia) of parasitic vermiform sporozoan protozoans that occur esp. in insects and other invertebrates
gre·gar·i·ous [gri-'ger-ē-əs] -adj, adv, n
- tending to associate with others of one's kind : social
- marked by or indicating a liking for companionship : sociable
- of or relating to a social group
- growing in a cluster or a colony
- living in contiguous nests but not forming a true colony used esp. of wasps and bees
Gre·go·ri·an [gri-'gȯr-ē-ən] -adj
- of or relating to Pope Gregory XIII or the Gregorian calendar
Gregorian -adj
- of or relating to Pope Gregory I
- of, relating to, or having the characteristics of Gregorian chant
- of or relating to the Armenian national church
Gregorian calendar -n
- a calendar in general use introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a revision of the Julian calendar, adopted in Great Britain and the American colonies in 1752, marked by the suppression of 10 days or after 1700 11 days, and having leap years in every year divisible by four with the restriction that centesimal years are leap years only when divisible by 400
Gregorian chant -n
- a monodic and rhythmically free liturgical chant of the Roman Catholic Church
greige ['grā(zh)] -adj
- being in an unbleached undyed state as taken from a loom used of textiles
grei·sen ['grī-zᵊn] -n
- a crystalline rock consisting of quartz and mica that is common in Cornwall and Saxony
grem·lin ['grem-lən] -n
- a cause of error or equipment malfunction (as in aircraft) conceived of as a small mischievous gnome
gre·nade [grə-'nād] -n
- a small missile that contains an explosive or a chemical agent (as tear gas, a flame producer, or a smoke producer) and that is thrown by hand or projected (as by a rifle or special launcher)
gren·a·dier [,gre-nə-'dir] -n
- a soldier who carries and throws grenades
- a member of a special regiment or corps formerly armed with grenades
- any of various deep-sea fishes (family Macrouridae) that are related to the cods and have an elongate tapering body and compressed pointed tail
gren·a·dine [,gre-nə-'dēn, 'gre-nə-,] -n
- an open-weave fabric of various fibers
- a moderate reddish orange
- a syrup flavored with pomegranates and used in mixed drinks
Gren·del ['gren-dᵊl] -n
- a monstrous man-eating descendant of Cain slain by Beowulf in the Old English poem Beowulf
Gresh·am's law ['gre-shəmz-] -n
- an observation in economics: when two coins are equal in debt-paying value but unequal in intrinsic value, the one having the lesser intrinsic value tends to remain in circulation and the other to be hoarded or exported as bullion
- any process by which inferior products or practices drive out superior ones
Gret·na Green [,gret-nə-'grēn] -n
- a place where many eloping couples are married
Gre·vy's zebra [(,)grā-'vēz-] -n
- a zebra ( Equus grevyi) of eastern Africa with narrow stripes and a white belly
grew ['grō] -vb, n, adv
(variant of grow)
- to spring up and develop to maturity
- to be able to grow in some place or situation
- trees that grow in the tropics
- to assume some relation through or as if through a process of natural growth
- ferns grow ing from the rocks
- to increase in size by assimilation of material into the living organism or by accretion of material in a nonbiological process (as crystallization)
- increase, expand
- to develop from a parent source
- the book grew out of a series of lectures
- to pass into a condition : become
- to have an increasing influence
- to become increasingly acceptable or attractive
- didn't like it at first, but it grew on him
- to cause to grow
- to let grow on the body
- to promote the development of
- start a business and grow it successfully -- J. L. Deckter
grewsome ['grü-səm] -adj, adv, n
(variant of gruesome)
- inspiring horror or repulsion : grisly
grey ['grā] -adj, adv, n
(variant of gray)
- of the color gray
- tending toward gray
- dull in color
- having the hair gray : hoary
- clothed in gray
- lacking cheer or brightness in mood, outlook, style, or flavor
- dismal, gloomy
- prosaically ordinary : dull, uninteresting
- having an intermediate and often vaguely defined position, condition, or character
- something (as an animal, garment, cloth, or spot) of a gray color
- any of a series of neutral colors ranging between black and white
- a soldier in the Confederate army during the American Civil War
- the Confederate army
- to make gray
- to become gray
- age
- to contain an increasing percentage of older people
- the mks unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of one joule per kilogram of irradiated material abbr. Gy
grey friar -n
- a Franciscan friar
grey·hound ['grā-,hau̇nd] -n
- any of a breed of tall slender graceful smooth-coated dogs characterized by swiftness and keen sight and used for coursing game and racing
- any of several related dogs
grey·lag [-,lag] -n
- the common gray wild goose ( Anser anser) of Europe from which most domestic breeds of geese are descended
grib·ble ['gri-bəl] -n
- either of two small wood-boring marine isopods ( Limnoria lignorumand L. tripunctata)
grid ['grid] -n
- grating
- a perforated or ridged metal plate used as a conductor in a storage battery
- an electrode consisting of a mesh or a spiral of fine wire in an electron tube
- a network of conductors for distribution of electric power
- a network of radio or television stations
- a network of uniformly spaced horizontal and perpendicular lines (as for locating points on a map)
- something resembling such a network
- gridiron
- football
- the starting positions of cars on a racecourse
- a device in a photocomposer on which are located the characters to be exposed as the text is composed
grid·der ['gri-dər] -n
- a football player
grid·dle ['gri-dᵊl] -n
- a flat stone or metal surface on which food is baked or fried
griddle cake -n
- pancake
grid·iron ['grid-,ī(-ə)rn] -n
- a grate for broiling food
- something consisting of or covered with a network
- a football field
grid·lock [-,läk] -n, vt
- a traffic jam in which a grid of intersecting streets is so completely congested that no vehicular movement is possible
- a situation resembling gridlock (as in congestion or lack of movement)
grief ['grēf] -n
- grievance
- deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement
- a cause of such suffering
- an unfortunate outcome : disaster used chiefly in the phrase come to grief
- mishap, misadventure
- trouble, annoyance
- annoying or playful criticism
- getting grief from his friends
griev·ance ['grē-vən(t)s] -n
- suffering, distress
- a cause of distress (as an unsatisfactory working condition) felt to afford reason for complaint or resistance
- the formal expression of a grievance : complaint
griev·ant [-vənt] -n
- one who submits a grievance for arbitration
grieve ['grēv] -vb, n
- to cause to suffer : distress
- it grieve s me to see him this way
- to feel or show grief over
- grieving the death of her son
- to submit a formal grievance concerning
- to feel grief : sorrow
griev·ous ['grē-vəs] -adj, adv, n
- causing or characterized by severe pain, suffering, or sorrow
- oppressive, onerous
- serious, grave
grif·fin ['gri-fən] -n
- a mythical animal typically having the head, forepart, and wings of an eagle and the body, hind legs, and tail of a lion
grif·fon ['gri-fən] -n
- brussels griffon
- wirehaired pointing griffon
grift ['grift] -vb, n
- to obtain (money) illicitly (as in a confidence game)
- to acquire money or property illicitly
grig ['grig] -n
- a lively lighthearted usu. small or young person
grill ['gril] -vt, n
- to broil on a grill
- to fry or toast on a griddle
- to torment as if by broiling
- to question intensely
- the police grill ed the suspect
- a cooking utensil of parallel bars on which food is exposed to heat (as from charcoal or electricity)
- food that is broiled usu. on a grill
- a usu. informal restaurant or dining room
gril·lage ['gri-lij] -n
- a framework of timber or steel for support in marshy or treacherous soil
- a framework for supporting a load (as a column)
grille ['gril] -n
- a grating forming a barrier or screen
- an ornamental one at the front end of an automobile
- an opening covered with a grille
- a set of metallic covers for the teeth
grill·room ['gril-,rüm, -,ru̇m] -n
- grill
grill·work ['gril-,wərk] -n
- work constituting or resembling a grille
grilse ['grils] -n
- a young Atlantic salmon returning to its native river to spawn for the first time after one winter at sea
- any of various salmon at such a stage of development
grim ['grim] -adj, adv, n
- fierce in disposition or action : savage
- stern or forbidding in action or appearance
- somber, gloomy
- ghastly, repellent, or sinister in character
- unflinching, unyielding
gri·mace ['gri-məs, gri-'mās] -n, vi
- a facial expression usu. of disgust, disapproval, or pain
gri·mal·kin [gri-'mȯ(l)-kən, -'mal-] -n
- a domestic cat
- an old female cat
grime ['grīm] -n, vt
- soot, smut, or dirt adhering to or embedded in a surface
- accumulated dirtiness and disorder
Grimm's law ['grimz-] -n
- a statement in historical linguistics: Proto-Indo-European voiceless stops became Proto-Germanic voiceless fricatives (as in Greek pyr, treis, kardiacompared with English fire, three, heart), Proto-Indo-European voiced stops became Proto-Germanic voiceless stops (as in Latin duo, genuscompared with English two, kin), and Proto-Indo-European voiced aspirated stops became Proto-Germanic voiced fricatives (as in Sanskrit nabhi, madhyamid compared with English navel,Old Norse mithrmid)
grim reaper -n
- death esp. when personified as a man or skeleton with a scythe
grimy ['grī-mē] -adj, n
- full of or covered with grime : dirty
grin ['grin] -vi, n, adv
- to draw back the lips so as to show the teeth esp. in amusement or laughter
- smile
grinch ['grinch] -n
- killjoy, spoilsport
grind ['grīnd] -vb, adv
- to reduce to powder or small fragments by friction (as in a mill or with the teeth)
- to wear down, polish, or sharpen by friction
- oppress, harass
- to weaken or destroy gradually usu. used with down
- poverty ground her spirit down
- to press together with a rotating motion
- to rub or press harshly
- to operate or produce by turning a crank
- to perform the operation of grinding
- to become pulverized, polished, or sharpened by friction
- to move with difficulty or friction esp. so as to make a grating noise
- drudge
- to study hard
- to rotate the hips in an erotic manner
- an act of grinding
- the sound of grinding
- dreary, monotonous, or difficult labor, study, or routine
- one who works or studies excessively
- the result of grinding
- material ground to a particular degree of fineness
- the act of rotating the hips in an erotic manner
grind·er ['grīn-dər] -n
- molar
- teeth
- one that grinds
- a machine or device for grinding
- submarine
- an athlete who succeeds through hard work and determination rather than exceptional skill
grind house -n
- an often shabby movie theater having continuous showings esp. of pornographic or violent films
grind out -vt
- to produce in a mechanical way
grind·stone ['grīn-,stōn] -n
- millstone
- a flat circular stone of natural sandstone that revolves on an axle and is used for grinding, shaping, or smoothing
grin·go ['griŋ-(,)gō] -n
- a foreigner in Spain or Latin America esp. when of English or American origin
- a non-Hispanic person
gri·ot ['grē-,ō] -n
- any of a class of musician-entertainers of western Africa whose performances include tribal histories and genealogies
- storyteller
grip ['grip] -vt, n, adv
- to seize or hold firmly
- to hold the interest of strongly
- a story that grip s the reader
- a strong or tenacious grasp
- strength in gripping
- manner or style of gripping
- a firm tenacious hold typically giving control, mastery, or understanding
- mental grasp
- a part or device for gripping
- a part by which something is grasped
- handle
- suitcase
- stagehand
gripe ['grīp] -vb, n
- seize, grasp
- afflict, distress
- irritate, vex
- to cause pinching and spasmodic pain in the bowels of
- to experience gripes
- to complain with grumbling
- clutch, grasp
- control, mastery
- a pinching spasmodic intestinal pain usu. used in pl.
- grievance, complaint
grip·man ['grip-mən, -,man] -n
- a cable car operator
grippe ['grip] -n
- an acute febrile contagious virus disease
- influenza
grip·sack ['grip-,sak] -n
- suitcase
gri·saille [gri-'zī, -'zāl] -n
- decoration in tones of a single color and esp. gray designed to produce a three-dimensional effect
Gri·sel·da [gri-'zel-də] -n
- a woman of humble origins in medieval legend who endures tests of wifely patience laid on her by her wellborn husband
gris·eo·ful·vin [,gri-zē-ō-'fu̇l-vən, ,gri-sē-, -'fəl-] -n
- an antibiotic C 17H 17ClO 6used systematically in treating superficial fungal infections
gri·sette [gri-'zet] -n
- a young French working-class woman
- a young woman combining part-time prostitution with some other occupation
grisgris ['grē-(,)grē] -n
- an amulet or incantation used chiefly by people of black African ancestry
gris·ly ['griz-lē] -adj, n
- inspiring horror or intense fear
- houses that were dark and grisly under the blank, cold sky -- D. H. Lawrence
- inspiring disgust or distaste
- a grisly account of the fire
grist ['grist] -n
- grain or a batch of grain for grinding
- the product obtained from a grist of grain including the flour or meal and the grain offals
- a required or usual amount
- matter of interest or value forming the basis of a story or analysis
- something turned to advantage or use used esp. in the phrase grist for one's mill
gris·tle ['gri-səl, -zəl] -n
- cartilage
- tough cartilaginous, tendinous, or fibrous matter esp. in table meats
gris·tly ['gri-sə-lē, 'gris-lē, 'griz-] -adj, n
- consisting of or containing gristle
grist·mill ['grist-,mil] -n
- a mill for grinding grain
grit ['grit] -n
- sand, gravel
- a hard sharp granule (as of sand)
- material (as many abrasives) composed of such granules
- any of several sandstones
- the structure of a stone that adapts it to grinding
- the size of abrasive particles usu. expressed as their mesh
- firmness of mind or spirit : unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger
- a Liberal in Canadian politics
- to give forth a grating sound
- to cause (as one's teeth) to grind or grate
- to cover or spread with grit
- to smooth (as marble) with a coarse abrasive
grith ['grith] -n
- peace, security, or sanctuary imposed or guaranteed in early medieval England under various special conditions
grits ['grits] -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- coarsely ground hulled grain
- ground hominy with the germ removed
grit·ty ['gri-tē] -adj, adv, n
- containing or resembling grit
- courageously persistent : plucky
- having strong qualities of tough uncompromising realism
griz·zle ['gri-zəl] -n
- gray hair
- a roan coat pattern or color
- a gray or roan animal
grizzle ['griz-liŋ, 'gri-zə-] -vb
- to make grayish
- gripe, grumble
- to become grayish
griz·zled ['gri-zəld] -adj
- sprinkled or streaked with gray : graying
- having gray hair
griz·zly ['griz-lē] -adj
- grizzled
grizzly bear -n
- a very large brown bear ( Ursus arctos) found from the northwestern U.S. to Alaska called also grizzly
gro -abbr
- gross
groan ['grōn] -vb, n
- to utter a deep moan indicative of pain, grief, or annoyance
- to make a harsh sound (as of creaking) under sudden or prolonged strain
- to utter or express with groaning
groan·er ['grō-nər] -n
- one that groans
- a stale or corny joke, observation, or story
groat ['grōt] -n
- hulled grain broken into fragments larger than grits
- a grain (as of oats) exclusive of the hull
- an old British coin worth four pennies
gro·cer ['grō-sər, -shər] -n
- a dealer in staple foodstuffs, meats, produce, and dairy products and usu. household supplies
gro·cery ['grōs-rē, 'grō-sə-; 'grōsh-rē] -n
- commodities sold by a grocer usu. sing. in Brit. usage
- a grocer's store
grog ['gräg] -n
- alcoholic liquor
- liquor (as rum) cut with water and now often served hot with lemon juice and sugar sometimes added
- refractory materials (as crushed pottery and firebricks) used in the manufacture of refractory products (as crucibles) to reduce shrinkage in drying and firing
grog·gy ['grä-gē] -adj, adv, n
- weak and unsteady on the feet or in action
gro·gram ['grä-grəm, 'grō-] -n
- a coarse loosely woven fabric of silk, silk and mohair, or silk and wool
grog·shop ['gräg-,shäp] -n
- a usu. low-class barroom
groin ['grȯin] -n
- the fold or depression marking the juncture of the lower abdomen and the inner part of the thigh
- the region of this line
- the projecting curved line along which two intersecting vaults meet
- a rib that covers this edge
- a rigid structure built out from a shore to protect the shore from erosion, to trap sand, or to direct a current for scouring a channel
- to build or equip with groins
grok ['gräk] -vt
- to understand profoundly and intuitively
grom·met ['grä-mət, 'grə-] -n
- a flexible loop that serves as a fastening, support, or reinforcement
- an eyelet of firm material to strengthen or protect an opening or to insulate or protect something passed through it
grom·well ['gräm-,wel, -wəl] -n
- any of a genus ( Lithospermum) of plants of the borage family having smooth glossy hard white nutlets
groom ['grüm, 'gru̇m] -n
- man, fellow
- manservant
- one of several officers of the English royal household
- a person responsible for the feeding, exercising, and stabling of horses
- bridegroom
- to clean and maintain the appearance of (as the coat of a horse or dog)
- to make neat or attractive
- an impeccably groom ed woman
- to get into readiness for a specific objective : prepare
- was being groom ed as a presidential candidate
- to groom oneself
groom·er ['grü-mər] -n
- one who grooms (as dogs)
grooms·man ['grümz-mən, 'gru̇mz-] -n
- a male friend who attends a bridegroom at his wedding
groove ['grüv] -n
- a long narrow channel or depression
- a fixed routine : rut
- a situation suited to one's abilities or interests : niche
- top form
- a great talker when he is in the groove
- the middle of the strike zone in baseball where a pitch is most easily hit
- a fastball right in the groove
- an enjoyable or exciting experience
- a pronounced enjoyable rhythm
- to make a groove in
- to join by a groove
- to perfect by repeated practice
- to throw (a pitch) in the groove
- to become joined or fitted by a groove
- to form a groove
- to enjoy oneself intensely
- to interact harmoniously
- contemporary minds and rock groove together -- Benjamin DeMott
groovy ['grü-vē] -adj
- marvelous, wonderful, excellent
- felt that this poetry was...enjoyable, not to mention groovy -- R. M. Muccigrosso
- hip, trendy
- a younger and groovier audience -- Robert MacKenzie
grope ['grōp] -vb, n
- to feel about blindly or uncertainly in search
- grope for the light switch
- to look for something blindly or uncertainly
- grope for the right words
- to feel one's way
- feel up
- to find (as one's way) by groping
gros·beak ['grōs-,bēk] -n
- any of several finches (esp. families Cardinalidae and Fringillidae) of Europe and America having large stout conical bills
gro·schen ['grō-shən, 'grȯ-] -n
- a former Austrian monetary unit equal to schilling
gros·grain ['grō-,grān] -n
- a strong close-woven corded fabric usu. of silk or rayon and often with cotton filler
gross ['grōs] -adj, adv, n
- immediately obvious
- glaringly noticeable usu. because of inexcusable badness or objectionableness
- out-and-out, utter
- visible without the aid of a microscope
- big, bulky
- excessively fat
- growing or spreading with excessive luxuriance
- of, relating to, or dealing with general aspects or broad distinctions
- consisting of an overall total exclusive of deductions
- made up of material or perceptible elements
- not fastidious in taste : undiscriminating
- coarse in nature or behavior : unrefined
- gravely deficient in civility or decency : crudely vulgar
- merely gross, a scatological rather than a pornographic impropriety -- Aldous Huxley
- inspiring disgust or distaste
- that sandwich looks gross
- deficient in knowledge : ignorant, untutored
- amount, sum
- overall total exclusive of deductions
- to earn or bring in (an overall total) exclusive of deductions (as for taxes or expenses)
- an aggregate of 12 dozen things
gross anatomy -n
- a branch of anatomy that deals with the macroscopic structure of tissues and organs
gross domestic product -n
- the gross national product excluding the value of net income earned abroad
gross national product -n
- the total value of the goods and services produced by the residents of a nation during a specified period (as a year)
grossout ['grōs-,au̇t] -n
- something inspiring disgust or distaste
gross out -vt
- to offend, insult, or disgust by something gross
gross ton -n
- long ton
gros·su·lar ['gräs-yə-lər] -n
- a variety of garnet that is most commonly green and consists of calcium aluminum silicate
gros·su·la·rite [-lə-,rīt] -n
- grossular
gro·szy ['grȯ-shē] -n
- see zloty at
grot ['grät] -n
- grotto
gro·tesque [grō-'tesk] -n
- a style of decorative art characterized by fanciful or fantastic human and animal forms often interwoven with foliage or similar figures that may distort the natural into absurdity, ugliness, or caricature
- a piece of work in this style
- one that is grotesque
- sans serif
grotesque -adj, adv, n
- : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the grotesque: as
- fanciful, bizarre
- absurdly incongruous
- departing markedly from the natural, the expected, or the typical
gro·tes·que·rie [grō-'tes-kə-rē] -n
- something that is grotesque
- the quality or state of being grotesque : grotesqueness
grot·to ['grä-(,)tō] -n
- cave
- an artificial recess or structure made to resemble a natural cave
grot·ty ['grä-tē] -adj
- wretchedly shabby : of poor quality
- filthy, gross
grouch ['grau̇ch] -n, vi
- a fit of bad temper
- grudge, complaint
- a habitually irritable or complaining person : grumbler
grouchy ['grau̇-chē] -adj, adv, n
- given to grumbling : peevish
ground ['grau̇nd] -n
- the bottom of a body of water
- sediment
- ground coffee beans after brewing
- a basis for belief, action, or argument often used in pl.
- sufficient ground s for divorce
- a fundamental logical condition
- a basic metaphysical cause
- a surrounding area : background
- material that serves as a substratum
- the surface of the earth
- an area used for a particular purpose
- the area around and belonging to a house or other building
- an area to be won or defended in or as if in battle
- an area of knowledge or special interest
- covered a lot of ground in his lecture
- soil, earth
- a special soil
- an object that makes an electrical connection with the earth
- a large conducting body (as the earth) used as a common return for an electric circuit and as an arbitrary zero of potential
- electric connection with a ground
- a football offense utilizing primarily running plays
- to bring to or place on the ground
- to cause to run aground
- to provide a reason or justification for
- our fears about technological change may be well ground ed -- L. K. Williams
- to furnish with a foundation of knowledge : base
- an understanding...that is ground ed in fact -- Michael Kimmelman
- to connect electrically with a ground
- to restrict to the ground
- to prohibit from taking part in some usual activities
- to throw (a football) intentionally to the ground to avoid being tackled for a loss
- to have a ground or basis : rely
- to run aground
- to hit a grounder
- ground ed back to the pitcher
ground ['grīnd] -vb, adv
(variant of grind)
- to reduce to powder or small fragments by friction (as in a mill or with the teeth)
- to wear down, polish, or sharpen by friction
- oppress, harass
- to weaken or destroy gradually usu. used with down
- poverty ground her spirit down
- to press together with a rotating motion
- to rub or press harshly
- to operate or produce by turning a crank
- to perform the operation of grinding
- to become pulverized, polished, or sharpened by friction
- to move with difficulty or friction esp. so as to make a grating noise
- drudge
- to study hard
- to rotate the hips in an erotic manner
- an act of grinding
- the sound of grinding
- dreary, monotonous, or difficult labor, study, or routine
- one who works or studies excessively
- the result of grinding
- material ground to a particular degree of fineness
- the act of rotating the hips in an erotic manner
ground ball -n
- a batted baseball that bounds or rolls along the ground
ground bass -n
- a short bass passage continually repeated below constantly changing melody and harmony
ground beetle -n
- any of a large cosmopolitan family (Carabidae) of soil-inhabiting usu. carnivorous often shiny black or metallic beetles commonly having fused elytra
ground·break·er ['grau̇n(d)-,brā-kər] -n
- one that innovates : pioneer
ground·break·ing [-,brā-kiŋ] -adj
- markedly innovative
- has written a groundbreaking work
ground·burst [-,bərst] -n
- the detonation of a nuclear warhead at ground level
groundcher·ry ['grau̇n(d)-'cher-ē] -n
- any of various chiefly New World herbs (genus Physalis) of the nightshade family with pulpy fruits in papery husks
- the fruit of the ground-cherry
ground cloth -n
- a waterproof sheet placed on the ground for protection (as of a sleeping bag) against soil moisture
ground cover -n
- the small plants on a forest floor except young trees
- a planting of low plants (as ivy) that covers the ground in place of turf
- a plant adapted for use as ground cover
ground crew -n
- the mechanics and technicians who maintain and service an airplane
ground·ed ['grȧun-dəd] -adj
- mentally and emotionally stable : admirably sensible, realistic, and unpretentious
- remains grounded despite all the praise and attention
groundeffect machine -n
- hovercraft
ground·er ['grau̇n-dər] -n
- ground ball
ground·fish ['grau̇n(d)-,fish] -n
- a bottom fish
- a marine fish (as a cod, haddock, pollack, or flounder) of commercial importance
ground floor -n
- the floor of a building most nearly on a level with the ground
- a favorable position or privileged opportunity usu. obtained by early participants used esp. in the phrase in on the ground floor
ground glass -n
- glass with a light-diffusing surface produced by etching or abrading
ground·hog ['grau̇n(d)-,hȯg, -,häg] -n
- woodchuck
Groundhog Day -n
- February 2 observed traditionally as a day that indicates six more weeks of winter if sunny or an early spring if cloudy
ground·ing ['grau̇n-diŋ] -n
- training or instruction in the fundamentals of a field of knowledge
ground ivy -n
- a trailing European mint ( Glechoma hederacea) naturalized in No. America with rounded leaves and purplish flowers
ground·less ['grau̇n(d)-ləs] -adj, adv, n
- having no ground or foundation
ground·ling ['grau̇n(d)-liŋ] -n
- a spectator who stood in the pit of an Elizabethan theater
- a person of unsophisticated taste
- one that lives or works on or near the ground
ground loop -n
- a sharp uncontrollable turn made by an aircraft on the ground and usu. caused by an unbalanced drag (as from a wingtip touching the ground)
ground·mass ['grau̇n(d)-,mas] -n
- the fine-grained or glassy base of a porphyry in which the larger distinct crystals are embedded
ground meristem -n
- the part of a primary apical meristem remaining after differentiation of protoderm and procambium
ground·nut ['grau̇n(d)-,nət] -n
- any of several plants having edible tuberous roots
- a No. American leguminous vine ( Apios americana) with pinnate leaves and clusters of brownish-purple fragrant flowers
- the root of a groundnut
- peanut
ground·out ['grau̇nd-,au̇t] -n
- a play in baseball in which a batter is put out after hitting a grounder to an infielder
ground pine -n
- a yellow-flowered European bugle ( Ajuga chamaepitys) with a resinous odor
- any of several club mosses (esp. Lycopodium clavatumand L. complanatum) with long creeping stems and erect branches
ground plan -n
- a plan of a floor of a building as distinguished from an elevation
- a first or basic plan
ground rent -n
- the rent paid by a lessee for the use of land esp. for building
ground rule -n
- a sports rule adopted to modify play on a particular field, court, or course
- a rule of procedure
- ground rules for selecting a superintendent -- Amer. School Board Jour.
ground·sel ['grau̇n(d)-səl] -n
- any of various senecios (as the nearly cosmopolitan European weed Senecio vulgaris)
ground·sheet ['grau̇n(d)-,shēt] -n
- ground cloth
grounds·keep·er ['grau̇n(d)z-,kē-pər] -n
- a person who cares for the grounds of a usu. large property (as a sports field)
ground sloth -n
- any of various often huge extinct American edentates related to the recent sloths
grounds·man ['grau̇n(d)z-mən] -n
- groundskeeper
ground speed -n
- the speed (as of an airplane) with relation to the ground
ground squirrel -n
- any of various burrowing No. American and Eurasian rodents (esp. genus Spermophilus) of the squirrel family that often live in colonies esp. in open areas (as grasslands) called also spermophile
ground state -n
- the state of a physical system (as of an atomic nucleus or an atom) having the least energy of all the possible states called also ground level
ground stroke -n
- a stroke made (as in tennis) by hitting a ball that has rebounded from the ground
ground substance -n
- : a more or less homogeneous matrix in which the specific differentiated elements of a system are suspended:
- the intercellular substance of tissues
- cytosol
ground·swell ['grau̇nd-,swel] -n
- a broad deep undulation of the ocean caused by an often distant gale or seismic disturbance
- a rapid spontaneous growth (as of political opinion)
ground·wa·ter [-,wȯ-tər, -,wä-] -n
- water within the earth esp. that supplies wells and springs
ground wave -n
- a radio wave that is propagated along the surface of the earth
ground·wood ['grau̇nd-,wu̇d] -n
- wood ground up and used to make pulp for paper
ground·work ['grau̇nd-,wərk] -n
- foundation, basis
- laid the groundwork for a new program
- preparation made beforehand
- the groundwork was done before the winter tour -- Susan Reiter
ground zero -n
- the point directly above, below, or at which a nuclear explosion occurs
- the center or origin of rapid, intense, or violent activity or change
- center
- the party town that served as ground zero for those corporate...bashes -- Rich Eisen
- the very beginning : square one
group ['grüp] -n
- two or more figures forming a complete unit in a composition
- a number of individuals assembled together or having some unifying relationship
- an assemblage of objects regarded as a unit
- a military unit consisting of a headquarters and attached battalions
- a unit of the U.S. Air Force higher than a squadron and lower than a wing
- an assemblage of related organisms often used to avoid taxonomic connotations when the kind or degree of relationship is not clearly defined
- two or more atoms joined together or sometimes a single atom forming part of a molecule
- functional group
- an assemblage of elements forming one of the vertical columns of the periodic table
- a stratigraphic division comprising rocks deposited during an era
- a mathematical set that is closed under a binary associative operation, contains an identity element, and has an inverse for every element
- to combine in a group
- to assign to a group : classify
- to form a group
- to belong to a group
- to make groups of closely spaced hits on a target
- the gun group ed beautifully -- R. C. Ruark
Group A -n
- any of various strains of a streptococcus ( Streptococcus pyogenes) that include the causative agents of pharyngitis, scarlet fever, septicemia, some skin infections, rheumatic fever, and glomerulonephritis
Group B -n
- any of various strains of a streptococcus ( Streptococcus agalactiae) that include the causative agents of certain infections (as pneumonia and meningitis) esp. of newborn infants
- Group B streptococcal infections
group captain -n
- a commissioned officer in the British air force who ranks with a colonel in the army
group dynamics -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- the interacting forces within a small human group
- the sociological study of these forces
grou·per ['grü-pər] -n
- any of numerous fishes (family Serranidae and esp. genera Epinephelusand Mycteroperca) that are typically large solitary bottom-dwelling fishes of warm seas and include important food fishes
group home -n
- a residence for persons requiring care or supervision
group·ie ['grü-pē] -n
- a fan of a rock group who usu. follows the group around on concert tours
- an admirer of a celebrity who attends as many of his or her public appearances as possible
- enthusiast, aficionado
group·ing ['grü-piŋ] -n
- the act or process of combining in groups
- a set of objects combined in a group
group practice -n
- medicine practiced by a group of associated physicians or dentists (as specialists in different fields) working as partners or as partners and employees
group theory -n
- a branch of mathematics concerned with finding all mathematical groups and determining their properties
group therapy -n
- therapy in the presence of a therapist in which several patients discuss and share their personal problems called also group psychotherapy
group·think ['grüp-,thiŋk] -n
- a pattern of thought characterized by self-deception, forced manufacture of consent, and conformity to group values and ethics
grou·pus·cule [grü-'pəs-,kyül] -n
- a small group of political activists
group·ware ['grüp-,wer] -n
- software that enables users to work collaboratively on projects or files via a network
grouse ['grau̇s] -n
- any of various chiefly ground-dwelling birds (family Tetraonidae) that are usu. of reddish-brown or other protective color and have feathered legs and that include many important game birds
- complain, grumble
- complaint
grout ['grau̇t] -n
- thin mortar used for filling spaces (as the joints in masonry)
- any of various other materials (as a mixture of cement and water or chemicals that solidify) used for a similar purpose
- plaster
- lees
- to fill up or finish with grout
- to fix in place by means of grout
grove ['grōv] -n
- a small wood without underbrush
- a planting of fruit or nut trees
grov·el ['grä-vᵊl, 'grə-] -vi, n, adv
- to creep with the face to the ground : crawl
- to lie or creep with the body prostrate in token of subservience or abasement
- to abase oneself
- to give oneself over to what is base or unworthy : wallow
groves of academe
- the academic world
grow ['grō] -vb, n, adv
- to spring up and develop to maturity
- to be able to grow in some place or situation
- trees that grow in the tropics
- to assume some relation through or as if through a process of natural growth
- ferns grow ing from the rocks
- to increase in size by assimilation of material into the living organism or by accretion of material in a nonbiological process (as crystallization)
- increase, expand
- to develop from a parent source
- the book grew out of a series of lectures
- to pass into a condition : become
- to have an increasing influence
- to become increasingly acceptable or attractive
- didn't like it at first, but it grew on him
- to cause to grow
- to let grow on the body
- to promote the development of
- start a business and grow it successfully -- J. L. Deckter
growing pains -n pl
- pains in the legs of growing children having no demonstrable relation to growth
- the stresses and strains attending a new project or development
growing point -n
- the undifferentiated end of a plant shoot from which additional shoot tissues differentiate
growl ['grau̇(-ə)l] -vb
- rumble
- to utter a growl
- the dog growl ed at the stranger
- to complain angrily
- to utter with a growl : utter angrily
- a deep guttural inarticulate sound
growl·er ['grau̇-lər] -n
- one that growls
- a container (as a can or pitcher) for beer bought by the measure
- a small iceberg
growl·ing ['grau̇-liŋ] -adj, adv
- marked by a growl
- listened to the growling thunder
growly ['grau̇-lē] -adj, n
- resembling a growl
grown ['grōn] -adj
- fully grown : mature
- covered or surrounded with vegetation
- land well grown with trees
- cultivated or produced in a specified way or locality used in combination
- overgrown with used in combination
grownup ['grōn-,əp] -adj
- not childish or immature : adult
- of, for, or characteristic of adults
- insisted on wearing grownup clothes
- adult
growth ['grōth] -n
- a stage in the process of growing : size
- full growth
- the process of growing
- progressive development : evolution
- increase, expansion
- the growth of the oil industry
- something that grows or has grown
- an abnormal proliferation of tissue (as a tumor)
- outgrowth
- the result of growth : product
- a producing esp. by growing
- anticipated progressive growth esp. in capital value and income
- some investors prefer growth to immediate income
growth company -n
- a company that grows at a greater rate than the economy as a whole and that usu. directs a relatively high proportion of income back into the business
growth cone -n
- the specialized motile tip of an axon of a growing or regenerating neuron
growth factor -n
- a substance (as a vitamin B 12or an interleukin) that promotes growth and esp. cellular growth
growth hormone -n
- a vertebrate polypeptide hormone that is secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland and regulates growth
- a recombinant version of this hormone called also somatotropin
- growth regulator
growth industry -n
- a business that has become increasingly popular or profitable
- an interest or activity that is increasingly popular or trendy
growth regulator -n
- any of various synthetic or naturally occurring plant substances (as an auxin or gibberellin) that regulate growth
growth ring -n
- a layer of wood (as an annual ring) produced during a single period of growth
growthy ['grō-thē] -adj, n
- exceptionally fast in growing and gaining weight
grow up -vi
- to grow toward or arrive at full stature or physical or mental maturity
- growing up intellectually, socially, and physically
groyne ['grȯin] -n
- groin
GRP -abbr
- glass-reinforced plastic
GRU -abbr
- Chief Intelligence Directorate
grub ['grəb] -vb, n
- to clear by digging up roots and stumps
- to dig up by or as if by the roots
- to dig in the ground esp. for something that is difficult to find or extract
- to search about
- grubbed in the countryside for food -- Lamp
- toil, drudge
- grubbing along at newspaper jobs -- Walter Kirn
- a soft thick wormlike larva of an insect (as a beetle)
- one who does menial work : drudge
- a slovenly person
- food
grub·by ['grə-bē] -adj, adv, n
- infested with fly maggots
- dirty, grimy
- slovenly, sloppy
- worthy of contempt : base
grub·stake ['grəb-,stāk] -n
- supplies or funds furnished a mining prospector on promise of a share in his discoveries
- material assistance (as a loan) provided for launching an enterprise or for a person in difficult circumstances
grubstake -vt, n
- to provide with a grubstake
Grub Street ['grəb-] -n
- the world or category of needy literary hacks
grudge ['grəj] -vt, n
- to be unwilling to give or admit : give or allow reluctantly or resentfully
- a feeling of deep-seated resentment or ill will
grudging -adj, adv
- unwilling, reluctant
- done, given, or allowed unwillingly, reluctantly, or sparingly
gru·el ['grü-əl] -n
- a thin porridge
- punishment
- something that lacks substance or significance
- the argument was thin gruel
gru·el·ing ['grü-ə-liŋ] -adj, adv
- trying or taxing to the point of exhaustion : punishing
grue·some ['grü-səm] -adj, adv, n
- inspiring horror or repulsion : grisly
gruff ['grəf] -adj, adv, n
- rough, brusque, or stern in manner, speech, or aspect
- being deep and harsh : hoarse
- to utter in a gruff voice or manner
grum·ble ['grəm-bəl] -vb, n, adv, adj
- to mutter in discontent
- growl, rumble
- to express with grumbling
grummet ['grä-mət, 'grə-] -n
(variant of grommet)
- a flexible loop that serves as a fastening, support, or reinforcement
- an eyelet of firm material to strengthen or protect an opening or to insulate or protect something passed through it
grump ['grəmp] -n
- a fit of ill humor or sulkiness usu. used in pl.
- a person given to complaining
- sulk
- grumble, complain
- to utter in a grumpy manner
grumpy ['grəm-pē] -adj, adv, n
- moodily cross : surly
grunge ['grənj] -n
- one that is grungy
- rock music incorporating elements of punk rock and heavy metal
- the untidy fashions typical of fans of grunge
grun·gy ['grən-jē] -adj
- shabby or dirty in character or condition
- characteristic of grunge music or fashion
grun·ion ['grən-yən] -n
- a silverside ( Leuresthes tenuis) of the California coast notable for the regularity with which it comes inshore to spawn at nearly full moon
grunt ['grənt] -vb, n
- to utter a grunt
- to utter with a grunt
- the deep short sound characteristic of a hog
- a similar sound
- any of a family (Haemulidae syn. Pomadasyidae) of chiefly tropical marine bony fishes
- a dessert made by dropping biscuit dough on top of boiling berries and steaming
- a U.S. army or marine foot soldier esp. in the Vietnam War
- one who does routine unglamorous work often used attributively
grun·tle ['grən-tᵊl] -vt
- to put in a good humor
- were gruntled with a good meal and good conversation -- W. P. Webb
grutch ['grəch] -vt
- begrudge
grutten ['grēt] -vt, n
(variant of greet)
- to address with expression of kind wishes upon meeting or arrival
- greet ed guests at the door
- to meet or react to in a specified manner
- to occur as a response to
- to appear to the perception of
- a surprising sight greet ed her eyes
- weep, lament
Gru·yere [grü-'yer, grē-] -n
- a firm cheese with small holes and a nutty flavor that is of Swiss origin
- a process cheese made from natural Gruyere
gr wt -abbr
- gross weight
gryphon ['gri-fən] -n
(variant of griffin)
- a mythical animal typically having the head, forepart, and wings of an eagle and the body, hind legs, and tail of a lion