(ground) noun
1. The firm, solid portion of the earth at and near its surface.
2. Hence, soil; earth; dirt.
3. Any region or tract of land, especially a portion put to special use: a parade ground, hunting ground, etc.
4. Often plural A starting point; good reason; basis; sufficient cause: On what ground is the argument based?; also, pretext.
5. Position or distance: to gain, hold, or lose ground.
6. plural The particles that settle at the bottom of a liquid preparation; dregs.
7. In various arts, some preparative work or part, as a surface to be worked on; in painting, a first coat or color or a surface prepared therewith.
8. Music The plain song or air as a basis for development and variation.
9. Electr. a A connection of a circuit with the earth. b An object or place to which a ground wire is attached.
10. Often plural Private land; landed estate; especially in the plural, the enclosed spaces immediately appertaining to a mansion.
11. Often plural The base or foundation, as of belief or knowledge.
12. The bottom, as of a lake or the ocean; lowest depth. See synonyms under LAND, REASON.
—to gain ground
1. To conquer land.
2. To make progress; win favor, position, influence, etc.
—to stand one's ground To maintain an argument or a purpose.
—adjective
1. Being on the ground or on a level with it.
2. Fundamental: the ground form of a word.
3. Terrestrial: said of birds: the ground sparrow, ground warbler.
4. Burrowing: the ground squirrel, ground snake.
5. Growing on the ground; trailing or dwarfed: ground ivy, ground hemlock.
—v.t.
1. To put, place, or set on the ground.
2. To fix firmly on a basis; found; establish.
3. To train (someone) in first principles or elements, as of Latin or science.
4. Aeron. To cause to stay on the ground.
5. Naut. To cause to run aground, as a ship.
6. To furnish (a surface) with a ground or background for painting, etc.
7. Electr. To place in connection with the earth, as a circuit.
—v.i.
8. To come or fall to the ground.
9. In baseball, to be retired on a grounder batted to an opposing player: usually with out.
10. Naut. To run aground.
11. To sink to the bottom: The bait grounds. [OE grund]

(ground)
Past tense and past participle of GRIND.