groom

American  

[groom, groom] / grum, grʊm /

noun

1. a bridegroom.

2. a man or boy in charge of horses or the stable.

3. any of several officers of the English royal household.

4. Archaic. a manservant.

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verb (used with object)

1. to tend carefully as to person and dress; make neat or tidy.

2. to clean, brush, and otherwise tend (a horse, dog, etc.).

3. to prepare (a trail) for a specific use, such as skiing, biking, or hiking.

   The resort is currently grooming 7 miles of cross-country ski trails for your enjoyment this winter.

4. to prepare for a position, election, etc..

   Both of these young goalies are being groomed for roles in the NHL.

5. to condition or manipulate (a victim) emotionally over time, as through friendship, gifts, flattery, etc., in order to entrap the person in a sexually abusive or predatory relationship.

6. (of an animal) to tend (itself or another) by removing dirt, parasites, or specks of other matter from the fur, skin, feathers, etc.: often performed as a social act.

groom British  

/ ɡruːm, ɡrʊm /

noun

1. a person employed to clean and look after horses

2. See bridegroom

3. any of various officers of a royal or noble household

4. archaic a male servant or attendant

5. archaic a young man

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verb

1. to make or keep (clothes, appearance, etc) clean and tidy

2. to rub down, clean, and smarten (a horse, dog, etc)

3. to train or prepare for a particular task, occupation, etc

   to groom someone for the Presidency

4. to win the confidence of (a victim) in order to a commit sexual assault on him or her

Other Word Forms

• groomer noun
• grooming noun
• groomish adjective
• groomishly adverb
• nongrooming adjective
• regroom verb (used with object)
• ungroomed adjective

Etymology

Origin of groom

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English grom, grome, groum “infant boy, boy, youth, groom”; further origin obscure; akin to grow

Example Sentences

Now that the Baby Monkey Who Could is finding comfort, grooming and companionship from others of his kind, there may come a time when he no longer needs his big stuffed orangutan.

From Los Angeles Times

On rare occasions, Sabbath playmates eventually become bride and groom.

From The Wall Street Journal

Neatly groomed and driven by anger about the treatment of his Nasa minority, Gomez is hunting for votes in a rebel‑controlled region of Colombia's lawless southwest.

From Barron's

He added staffing had been increased with the hiring of civilian kit cleaners and plans to hire grooms to care for horses by the summer.

From BBC

Public attention on grooming gangs has often centred on the north of England.

From BBC

Related Words

• comb
• educate
• prim
• tend