grind

[ grahynd ]
See synonyms for: grindgrindingground on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),ground or (Rare) grind·ed; grind·ing.
  1. to wear, smooth, or sharpen by abrasion or friction; whet: to grind a lens.

  2. to reduce to fine particles, as by pounding or crushing; bray, triturate, or pulverize.

  1. to oppress, torment, or crush: to grind minimum-wage employees.

  2. to rub harshly or gratingly; grate together; grit: to grind one's teeth.

  3. to operate by turning a crank: to grind a hand organ.

  4. to produce by crushing or abrasion: to grind flour.

  5. Slang. to annoy; irritate; irk: It really grinds me when he's late.

verb (used without object),ground or (Rare) grind·ed; grind·ing.
  1. to perform the operation of reducing to fine particles.

  2. to rub harshly; grate.

  1. to be or become ground.

  2. to be polished or sharpened by friction.

  3. Informal. to work or study laboriously (often followed by away): He was grinding away at his algebra.

  4. Digital Technology. (in a video game) to perform a monotonous task repeatedly in order to advance a character to a higher level or rank: You have to grind for hours before you can embark on the main story mission.

  5. Slang. (in a dance) to rotate the hips in a suggestive manner.: Compare bump (def. 12).

noun
  1. the act of grinding.

  2. a grinding sound.

  1. a grade of particle fineness into which a substance is ground: The coffee is available in various grinds for different coffee makers.

  2. laborious, usually uninteresting work: Copying all the footnotes was a grind.

  3. Informal. an excessively diligent student.

  4. Slang. a dance movement in which the hips are rotated in a suggestive or erotic manner.: Compare bump (def. 21).

Verb Phrases
  1. grind out,

    • to produce in a routine or mechanical way: to grind out magazine stories.

    • to extinguish by rubbing the lighted end against a hard surface: to grind out a cigarette.

Origin of grind

1
First recorded before 950; Middle English grinden, Old English grindan; akin to Gothic grinda-, Latin frendere “to gnash the teeth; complain”

Other words for grind

Other words from grind

  • grind·a·ble, adjective
  • grind·a·bil·i·ty, noun
  • grind·ing·ly, adverb
  • re·grind, verb, re·ground, re·grind·ing.
  • un·grind·a·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use grind in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for grind

grind

/ (ɡraɪnd) /


verbgrinds, grinding or ground
  1. to reduce or be reduced to small particles by pounding or abrading: to grind corn; to grind flour

  2. (tr) to smooth, sharpen, or polish by friction or abrasion: to grind a knife

  1. to scrape or grate together (two things, esp the teeth) with a harsh rasping sound or (of such objects) to be scraped together

  2. (tr foll by out) to speak or say (something) in a rough voice

  3. (tr often foll by down) to hold down; oppress; tyrannize

  4. (tr) to operate (a machine) by turning a handle

  5. (tr foll by out) to produce in a routine or uninspired manner: he ground out his weekly article for the paper

  6. (tr foll by out) to continue to play in a dull or insipid manner: the band only ground out old tunes all evening

  7. (tr often foll by into) to instil (facts, information, etc) by persistent effort: they ground into the recruits the need for vigilance

  8. (intr) informal to study or work laboriously

  9. (intr) mainly US to dance erotically by rotating the pelvis (esp in the phrase bump and grind)

noun
  1. informal laborious or routine work or study

  2. slang, mainly US a person, esp a student, who works excessively hard

  1. a specific grade of pulverization, as of coffee beans: coarse grind

  2. British slang the act of sexual intercourse

  3. mainly US a dance movement involving an erotic rotation of the pelvis

  4. the act or sound of grinding

Origin of grind

1
Old English grindan; related to Latin frendere, Lithuanian gréndu I rub, Low German grand sand

Derived forms of grind

  • grindingly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with grind

grind

In addition to the idiom beginning with grind

  • grind to a halt

also see:

  • ax to grind
  • mills of the gods grind slowly

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.