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View synonyms for grind

grind

[grahynd]

verb (used with object)

ground , grinded, grinding .
  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.

  3. to oppress, torment, or crush.

    to grind minimum-wage employees.

  4. to rub harshly or gratingly; grate together; grit.

    to grind one's teeth.

    Synonyms: abrade
  5. to operate by turning a crank.

    to grind a hand organ.

  6. to produce by crushing or abrasion.

    to grind flour.

  7. Slang.,  to annoy; irritate; irk.

    It really grinds me when he's late.



verb (used without object)

ground , grinded, grinding .
  1. to perform the operation of reducing to fine particles.

  2. to rub harshly; grate.

  3. to be or become ground.

  4. to be polished or sharpened by friction.

  5. Informal.,  to work or study laboriously (often followed byaway ).

    He was grinding away at his algebra.

  6. 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.

  7. Slang.,  (in a dance) to rotate the hips in a suggestive manner.

noun

  1. the act of grinding.

  2. a grinding sound.

  3. a grade of particle fineness into which a substance is ground.

    The coffee is available in various grinds for different coffee makers.

  4. laborious, usually uninteresting work.

    Copying all the footnotes was a grind.

  5. Informal.,  an excessively diligent student.

  6. Slang.,  a dance movement in which the hips are rotated in a suggestive or erotic manner.

verb phrase

  1. grind out

    1. to produce in a routine or mechanical way.

      to grind out magazine stories.

    2. to extinguish by rubbing the lighted end against a hard surface.

      to grind out a cigarette.

grind

/ ɡraɪnd /

verb

  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

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

  4. to speak or say (something) in a rough voice

  5. to hold down; oppress; tyrannize

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

  7. to produce in a routine or uninspired manner

    he ground out his weekly article for the paper

  8. to continue to play in a dull or insipid manner

    the band only ground out old tunes all evening

  9. to instil (facts, information, etc) by persistent effort

    they ground into the recruits the need for vigilance

  10. informal,  (intr) to study or work laboriously

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

“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

noun

  1. informal,  laborious or routine work or study

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

  3. a specific grade of pulverization, as of coffee beans

    coarse grind

  4. slang,  the act of sexual intercourse

  5. a dance movement involving an erotic rotation of the pelvis

  6. the act or sound of grinding

“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
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Other Word Forms

  • grindingly adverb
  • grindable adjective
  • grindability noun
  • regrind verb
  • ungrindable adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of grind1

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

Origin of grind1

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

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Kyiv has made multiple requests for long-range missiles, as it weighs up striking Russian cities far from the front lines of the grinding conflict.

Read more on BBC

Clarke's teams are hard to beat, competitive, with the ability to grind out results.

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The Conservatives’ customary rival, the Labour Party, is grinding through a crisis of its own as Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces restive backbenchers and a dissolving electoral base.

Still, oil shortages alone can grind the Russian bear to a halt militarily.

Humans have gone from doing all the grinding, welding, machine-operating and parts-moving to overseeing and collaborating with robots who take on the bulk of the tasks.

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Grinch Stole Christmas, How thegrindelia