grooming

American  

noun

1. the care of a body and its physical appearance, such as the personal hygiene routine of brushing one’s teeth or combing one’s hair, or the washing, brushing, etc., of a dog or horse.

   Grooming your dogs at home is less expensive than taking them to the groomer, if you can stand the wet dog smell and the hair that ends up everywhere.

2. the act or result of preparing a trail for a specific use, such as skiing, biking, or hiking.

   Donation boxes have been posted at each trail to cover their grooming and other maintenance costs.

3. the act or process of preparing someone to fill a position or role or to undertake an activity.

   The grooming of new personnel to handle additional responsibilities requires team leaders who will act as mentors and share constructive feedback.

4. an act or instance of engaging in behaviors or practices intended to gradually condition or emotionally manipulate a victim over time, as through friendship, gifts, flattery, etc., in order to entrap the person in a sexually abusive or predatory relationship.

   The ongoing targeting and grooming of minors online shows that our safety protocols for children on the internet are insufficient.

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Etymology

Origin of grooming

First recorded in 1810–20 grooming for def. 1 and in 1985–90 grooming for def. 4; groom ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Hall accused the mayor of "cherry-picking figures" and raised concerns about rising violence against women and girls, as well as grooming gangs she has said are operating in London.

From BBC

The Scottish government announced in December that there is to be a national review of the evidence on the operation of grooming gangs in Scotland.

From BBC

At Holyrood, SNP ministers have to decide whether or not to order a further inquiry into grooming gangs.

From BBC

Scotland's justice secretary has conceded a row over her comments about a grooming gangs expert "could have been handled better".

From BBC

Scotland's justice secretary Angela Constance is to be investigated over whether she breached the ministerial code in her remarks about a grooming gangs expert.

From BBC

Related Words

• admonition
• censure
• rebuke