ground

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

n. earth, terra firma, soil; foundation, basis; cause, reason; viewpoint. See covering. —v. base, establish; settle, fix; instruct. —adj. pulverized, grated; whittled, sharpened, abraded. See land, support, powderiness, region.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [Soil]

Syn. sand, dirt, soil; see earth 2 .

2. [An area]

Syn. spot, terrain, territory; see area 2 .

• break ground,

Syn. start, initiate, commence; see begin 1 .

• cover ground,

Syn. move, go on, progress; see advance 1 .

• cut the ground from under one or [m1]• one's feet*,

Syn. deprive, prove wrong, talk down; see defeat 1 .

• from the ground up,

Syn. thoroughly, wholly, entirely; see completely .

• gain ground,

Syn. move, go on, progress; see advance 1 .

• get off the ground*,

Syn. start, commence, come into being; see begin 2 .

• give ground,

Syn. withdraw, yield, retire; see retreat 1 .

• hold or [m1]• stand one's ground,

Syn. maintain one's position, defend, sustain, dig in one's heels; see endure 2 .

• lose ground,

Syn. withdraw, fall behind, drop back; see lag 1 .

• on delicate ground,

Syn. in a sensitive position, unsteady, insecure; see weak 3 , 6 .

• on firm ground,

Syn. reliable, secure, supported; see safe 1 .

• on one's own ground*,

Syn. comfortable in, capable, proficient; see able 1 , 2 .

• on shaky ground*,

Syn. uncertain, unreliable, weak; see inadequate 1 .

• run into the ground*,

Syn. exaggerate, do too much, press; see overdo 1 .

• suit (right) down to the ground*,

Syn. suit, be suitable for, be appropriate for, fulfill; see fit 1 , 2 .

v.

1. [To bring to the ground]

Syn. floor, bring down, prostrate; see fell .

2. [To restrict]

Syn. cause to remain on the ground, bar from flying, take wings away, prevent from driving*, confine to one's home; see also restrict 2 .

3. [To instruct in essentials]

Syn. train, indoctrinate, educate; see teach 1 .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

earth, soil, land, terra firma, turf, sand, terrain, real estate.

II

v.

teach, educate, train, base, familiarize, prime, instruct, indoctrinate.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I noun 1. The lowest or supporting part or structure: base1, basis, bed, bottom, foot, footing, foundation, fundament, groundwork, seat, substratum, underpinning (often used in plural). See OVER. 2. That on which something immaterial, such as an argument or a charge, rests. Often used in plural: base1, basis, footing, foundation, fundament, groundwork, underpinning (often used in plural). See OVER. 3. A basis for an action or a decision. Often used in plural: cause, motivation, motive, reason, spring. See START. 4. A fact or circumstance that gives logical support to an assertion, claim, or proposal. Often used in plural: argument, proof, reason, wherefore, why. Idiom: why and wherefore. See REASON. 5. That which provides a reason or justification. Often used in plural: call, cause, justification, necessity, occasion, reason, wherefore, why. Idiom: why and wherefore. See START. II verb 1. To cause to fall, as from a shot or blow: bring down, cut down, down, drop, fell1, flatten, floor, knock down, level, prostrate, strike down, throw. Slang: deck1. Idiom: lay low. See RISE. 2. To provide a basis for: base1, build, establish, found, predicate, rest1, root1, underpin. See OVER.