From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
ground \ground\ (ground), n. [OE. ground, grund, AS. grund; akin
to D. grond, OS., G., Sw., & Dan. grund, Icel. grunnr bottom,
Goth. grundus (in composition); perh. orig. meaning, dust,
gravel, and if so perh. akin to E. grind.]
1. The surface of the earth; the outer crust of the globe, or
some indefinite portion of it.
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There was not a man to till the ground. --Gen. ii.
5.
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The fire ran along upon the ground. --Ex. ix. 23.
Hence: A floor or pavement supposed to rest upon the
earth.
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2. Any definite portion of the earth's surface; region;
territory; country. Hence: A territory appropriated to, or
resorted to, for a particular purpose; the field or place
of action; as, a hunting or fishing ground; a play ground.
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From . . . old Euphrates, to the brook that parts
Egypt from Syrian ground. --Milton.
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3. Land; estate; possession; field; esp. (pl.), the gardens,
lawns, fields, etc., belonging to a homestead; as, the
grounds of the estate are well kept.
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Thy next design is on thy neighbor's grounds.
--Dryden. 4.
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4. The basis on which anything rests; foundation. Hence: The
foundation of knowledge, belief, or conviction; a premise,
reason, or datum; ultimate or first principle; cause of
existence or occurrence; originating force or agency; as,
the ground of my hope.
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5. (Paint. & Decorative Art)
(a) That surface upon which the figures of a composition
are set, and which relieves them by its plainness,
being either of one tint or of tints but slightly
contrasted with one another; as, crimson Bowers on a
white ground. See {Background}, {Foreground}, and
{Middle-ground}.
(b) In sculpture, a flat surface upon which figures are
raised in relief.
(c) In point lace, the net of small meshes upon which the
embroidered pattern is applied; as, Brussels ground.
See {Brussels lace}, under {Brussels}.
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6. (Etching) A gummy composition spread over the surface of a
metal to be etched, to prevent the acid from eating except
where an opening is made by the needle.
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7. (Arch.) One of the pieces of wood, flush with the
plastering, to which moldings, etc., are attached; --
usually in the plural.
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Note: Grounds are usually put up first and the plastering
floated flush with them.
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8. (Mus.)
(a) A composition in which the bass, consisting of a few
bars of independent notes, is continually repeated to
a varying melody.
(b) The tune on which descants are raised; the plain song.
--Moore (Encyc.).
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On that ground I'll build a holy descant.
--Shak.
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9. (Elec.) A conducting connection with the earth, whereby
the earth is made part of an electrical circuit.
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10. pl. Sediment at the bottom of liquors or liquids; dregs;
lees; feces; as, coffee grounds.
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11. The pit of a theater. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.
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{Ground angling}, angling with a weighted line without a
float.
{Ground annual} (Scots Law), an estate created in land by a
vassal who instead of selling his land outright reserves
an annual ground rent, which becomes a perpetual charge
upon the land.
{Ground ash}. (Bot.) See {Groutweed}.
{Ground bailiff} (Mining), a superintendent of mines.
--Simmonds.
{Ground bait}, bits of bread, boiled barley or worms, etc.,
thrown into the water to collect the fish, --Wallon.
{Ground bass} or {Ground base} (Mus.), fundamental base; a
fundamental base continually repeated to a varied melody.
{Ground beetle} (Zool.), one of numerous species of
carnivorous beetles of the family {Carabid[ae]}, living
mostly in burrows or under stones, etc.
{Ground chamber}, a room on the ground floor.
{Ground cherry}. (Bot.)
(a) A genus ({Physalis}) of herbaceous plants having an
inflated calyx for a seed pod: esp., the strawberry
tomato ({Physalis Alkekengi}). See {Alkekengl}.
(b) A European shrub ({Prunus Cham[ae]cerasus}), with
small, very acid fruit.
{Ground cuckoo}. (Zool.) See {Chaparral cock}.
{Ground cypress}. (Bot.) See {Lavender cotton}.
{Ground dove} (Zool.), one of several small American pigeons
of the genus {Columbigallina}, esp. {C. passerina} of the
Southern United States, Mexico, etc. They live chiefly on
the ground.
{Ground fish} (Zool.), any fish which constantly lives on the
botton of the sea, as the sole, turbot, halibut.
{Ground floor}, the floor of a house most nearly on a level
with the ground; -- called also in America, but not in
England, the {first floor}.
{Ground form} (Gram.), the stem or basis of a word, to which
the other parts are added in declension or conjugation. It
is sometimes, but not always, the same as the root.
{Ground furze} (Bot.), a low slightly thorny, leguminous
shrub ({Ononis arvensis}) of Europe and Central Asia,; --
called also {rest-harrow}.
{Ground game}, hares, rabbits, etc., as distinguished from
winged game.
{Ground hele} (Bot.), a perennial herb ({Veronica
officinalis}) with small blue flowers, common in Europe
and America, formerly thought to have curative properties.
{Ground of the heavens} (Astron.), the surface of any part of
the celestial sphere upon which the stars may be regarded
as projected.
{Ground hemlock} (Bot.), the yew ({Taxus baccata} var.
Canadensisi) of eastern North America, distinguished from
that of Europe by its low, straggling stems.
{Ground hog}. (Zool.)
(a) The woodchuck or American marmot ({Arctomys monax}).
See {Woodchuck}.
(b) The aardvark.
{Ground hold} (Naut.), ground tackle. [Obs.] --Spenser.
{Ground ice}, ice formed at the bottom of a body of water
before it forms on the surface.
{Ground ivy}. (Bot.) A trailing plant; alehoof. See {Gill}.
{Ground joist}, a joist for a basement or ground floor; a.
sleeper.
{Ground lark} (Zool.), the European pipit. See {Pipit}.
{Ground laurel} (Bot.). See {Trailing arbutus}, under
{Arbutus}.
{Ground line} (Descriptive Geom.), the line of intersection
of the horizontal and vertical planes of projection.
{Ground liverwort} (Bot.), a flowerless plant with a broad
flat forking thallus and the fruit raised on peduncled and
radiated receptacles ({Marchantia polymorpha}).
{Ground mail}, in Scotland, the fee paid for interment in a
churchyard.
{Ground mass} (Geol.), the fine-grained or glassy base of a
rock, in which distinct crystals of its constituents are
embedded.
{Ground parrakeet} (Zool.), one of several Australian
parrakeets, of the genera {Callipsittacus} and
{Geopsittacus}, which live mainly upon the ground.
{Ground pearl} (Zool.), an insect of the family {Coccid[ae]}
({Margarodes formicarum}), found in ants' nests in the
Bahamas, and having a shelly covering. They are strung
like beads, and made into necklaces by the natives.
{Ground pig} (Zool.), a large, burrowing, African rodent
({Aulacodus Swinderianus}) about two feet long, allied to
the porcupines but with harsh, bristly hair, and no
spines; -- called also {ground rat}.
{Ground pigeon} (Zool.), one of numerous species of pigeons
which live largely upon the ground, as the tooth-billed
pigeon ({Didunculus strigirostris}), of the Samoan
Islands, and the crowned pigeon, or goura. See {Goura},
and {Ground dove} (above).
{Ground pine}. (Bot.)
(a) A blue-flowered herb of the genus {Ajuga} ({A.
Cham[ae]pitys}), formerly included in the genus
{Teucrium} or germander, and named from its resinous
smell. --Sir J. Hill.
(b) A long, creeping, evergreen plant of the genus
{Lycopodium} ({L. clavatum}); -- called also {club
moss}.
(c) A tree-shaped evergreen plant about eight inches in
height, of the same genus ({L. dendroideum}) found in
moist, dark woods in the northern part of the United
States. --Gray.
{Ground plan} (Arch.), a plan of the ground floor of any
building, or of any floor, as distinguished from an
elevation or perpendicular section.
{Ground plane}, the horizontal plane of projection in
perspective drawing.
{Ground plate}.
(a) (Arch.) One of the chief pieces of framing of a
building; a timber laid horizontally on or near the
ground to support the uprights; a ground sill or
groundsel.
(b) (Railroads) A bed plate for sleepers or ties; a
mudsill.
(c) (Teleg.) A metallic plate buried in the earth to
conduct the electric current thereto. Connection to
the pipes of a gas or water main is usual in cities.
--Knight.
{Ground plot}, the ground upon which any structure is
erected; hence, any basis or foundation; also, a ground
plan.
{Ground plum} (Bot.), a leguminous plant ({Astragalus
caryocarpus}) occurring from the Saskatchewan to Texas,
and having a succulent plum-shaped pod.
{Ground rat}. (Zool.) See {Ground pig} (above).
{Ground rent}, rent paid for the privilege of building on
another man's land.
{Ground robin}. (Zool.) See {Chewink}.
{Ground room}, a room on the ground floor; a lower room.
--Tatler.
{Ground sea}, the West Indian name for a swell of the ocean,
which occurs in calm weather and without obvious cause,
breaking on the shore in heavy roaring billows; -- called
also {rollers}, and in Jamaica, {the North sea}.
{Ground sill}. See {Ground plate} (a) (above).
{Ground snake} (Zool.), a small burrowing American snake
({Celuta am[oe]na}). It is salmon colored, and has a blunt
tail.
{Ground squirrel}. (Zool.)
(a) One of numerous species of burrowing rodents of the
genera {Tamias} and {Spermophilus}, having cheek
pouches. The former genus includes the Eastern
striped squirrel or chipmunk and some allied Western
species; the latter includes the prairie squirrel or
striped gopher, the gray gopher, and many allied
Western species. See {Chipmunk}, and {Gopher}.
(b) Any species of the African genus {Xerus}, allied to
{Tamias}.
{Ground story}. Same as {Ground floor} (above).
{Ground substance} (Anat.), the intercellular substance, or
matrix, of tissues.
{Ground swell}.
(a) (Bot.) The plant groundsel. [Obs.] --Holland.
(b) A broad, deep swell or undulation of the ocean,
caused by a long continued gale, and felt even at a
remote distance after the gale has ceased.
{Ground table}. (Arch.) See Earth table, under Earth.
{Ground tackle} (Naut.), the tackle necessary to secure a
vessel at anchor. --Totten.
{Ground thrush} (Zool.), one of numerous species of
bright-colored Oriental birds of the family {Pittid[ae]}.
See {Pitta}.
{Ground tier}.
(a) The lowest tier of water casks in a vessel's hold.
--Totten.
(b) The lowest line of articles of any kind stowed in a
vessel's hold.
(c) The lowest range of boxes in a theater.
{Ground timbers} (Shipbuilding) the timbers which lie on the
keel and are bolted to the keelson; floor timbers.
--Knight.
{Ground tit}. (Zool.) See {Ground wren} (below).
{Ground wheel}, that wheel of a harvester, mowing machine,
etc., which, rolling on the ground, drives the mechanism.
{Ground wren} (Zool.), a small California bird ({Cham[ae]a
fasciata}) allied to the wrens and titmice. It inhabits
the arid plains. Called also {ground tit}, and {wren tit}.
{To bite the ground}, {To break ground}. See under {Bite},
{Break}.
{To come to the ground}, {To fall to the ground}, to come to
nothing; to fail; to miscarry.
{To gain ground}.
(a) To advance; to proceed forward in conflict; as, an
army in battle gains ground.
(b) To obtain an advantage; to have some success; as, the
army gains ground on the enemy.
(c) To gain credit; to become more prosperous or
influential.
{To get ground}, or {To gather ground}, to gain ground. [R.]
"Evening mist . . . gathers ground fast." --Milton.
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There is no way for duty to prevail, and get ground
of them, but by bidding higher. --South.
{To give ground}, to recede; to yield advantage.
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These nine . . . began to give me ground. --Shak.
{To lose ground}, to retire; to retreat; to withdraw from the
position taken; hence, to lose advantage; to lose credit
or reputation; to decline.
{To stand one's ground}, to stand firm; to resist attack or
encroachment. --Atterbury.
{To take the ground} to touch bottom or become stranded; --
said of a ship.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Second \Sec"ond\, a. [F., fr. L. secundus second, properly,
following, fr. sequi to follow. See {Sue} to follow, and cf.
{Secund}.]
1. Immediately following the first; next to the first in
order of place or time; hence, occurring again; another;
other.
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And he slept and dreamed the second time. --Gen.
xli. 5.
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2. Next to the first in value, power, excellence, dignity, or
rank; secondary; subordinate; inferior.
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May the day when we become the second people upon
earth . . . be the day of our utter extirpation.
--Landor.
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3. Being of the same kind as another that has preceded;
another, like a prototype; as, a second Cato; a second
Troy; a second deluge.
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A Daniel, still say I, a second Daniel! --Shak.
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{Second Adventist}. See {Adventist}.
{Second cousin}, the child of a cousin.
{Second-cut file}. See under {File}.
{Second distance} (Art), that part of a picture between the
foreground and the background; -- called also {middle
ground}, or {middle distance}. [R.]
{Second estate} (Eng.), the House of Peers.
{Second girl}, a female house-servant who does the lighter
work, as chamber work or waiting on table.
{Second intention}. See under {Intention}.
{Second story}, {Second floor}, in America, the second range
of rooms from the street level. This, in England, is
called the {first floor}, the one beneath being the
{ground floor}.
{Second thought} or {Second thoughts}, consideration of a
matter following a first impulse or impression;
reconsideration.
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On second thoughts, gentlemen, I don't wish you had
known him. --Dickens.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
First \First\ (f[~e]rst), a. [OE. first, furst, AS. fyrst; akin
to Icel. fyrstr, Sw. & Dan. f["o]rste, OHG. furist, G.
f["u]rst prince; a superlatiye form of E. for, fore. See
{For}, {Fore}, and cf. {Formeer}, {Foremost}.]
1. Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of
one; earliest; as, the first day of a month; the first
year of a reign.
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2. Foremost; in front of, or in advance of, all others.
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3. Most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest;
as, Demosthenes was the first orator of Greece.
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{At first blush}. See under {Blush}.
{At first hand}, from the first or original source; without
the intervention of any agent.
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It is the intention of the person to reveal it at
first hand, by way of mouth, to yourself. --Dickens.
{First coat} (Plastering), the solid foundation of coarse
stuff, on which the rest is placed; it is thick, and
crossed with lines, so as to give a bond for the next
coat.
{First day}, Sunday; -- so called by the Friends.
{First floor}.
(a) The ground floor. [U.S.]
(b) The floor next above the ground floor. [Eng.]
{First fruit} or {First fruits}.
(a) The fruits of the season earliest gathered.
(b) (Feudal Law) One year's profits of lands belonging to
the king on the death of a tenant who held directly
from him.
(c) (Eng. Eccl. Law) The first year's whole profits of a
benefice or spiritual living.
(d) The earliest effects or results.
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See, Father, what first fruits on earth are
sprung
From thy implanted grace in man! --Milton.
{First mate}, an officer in a merchant vessel next in rank to
the captain.
{First name}, same as {Christian name}. See under {Name}, n.
{First officer} (Naut.), in the merchant service, same as
{First mate} (above).
{First sergeant} (Mil.), the ranking non-commissioned officer
in a company; the orderly sergeant. --Farrow.
{First watch} (Naut.), the watch from eight to twelve at
midnight; also, the men on duty during that time.
{First water}, the highest quality or purest luster; -- said
of gems, especially of diamond and pearls.
Syn: Primary; primordial; primitive; primeval; pristine;
highest; chief; principal; foremost.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
first floor
n 1: the floor of a building that is at or nearest to the level
of the ground around the building [syn: {ground floor},
{first floor}, {ground level}]
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