grass

[ gras, grahs ]

/ græs, grɑs /

noun

any plant of the family Gramineae, having jointed stems, sheathing leaves, and seedlike grains.Compare grass family.

such plants collectively, as when cultivated in lawns or used as pasture for grazing animals or cut and dried as hay.

the grass-covered ground.

pasture: Half the farm is grass.

Slang. marijuana.

grasses, stalks or sprays of grass: filled with dried grasses.

the season of the new growth of grass.

verb (used with object)

to cover with grass or turf.

to feed with growing grass; pasture.

to lay (something) on the grass, as for the purpose of bleaching.

verb (used without object)

to feed on growing grass; graze.

to produce grass; become covered with grass.

Nearby words

grasp (clutch) at straws, grasp at straws, grasp reflex, grasping, graspingly, grass, grass box, grass carp, grass cloth, grass court, grass family

Idioms

go to grass, to retire from one's occupation or profession: Many executives lack a sense of purpose after they have gone to grass.

let the grass grow under one's feet, to delay action, progress, etc.; become slack in one's efforts.

Origin of grass

before 900; Middle English gras, Old English græs; cognate with Dutch, German, Old Norse, Gothic gras; akin to grow, green

Related forms

grass·less, adjectivegrass·like, adjectivegrass·ward, grass·wards, adverb, adjectiveun·der·grass, noun

un·grassed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for let the grass grow under one's feet (1 of 2)

grass

/ (ɡrɑːs) /

noun

any monocotyledonous plant of the family Poaceae (formerly Gramineae), having jointed stems sheathed by long narrow leaves, flowers in spikes, and seedlike fruits. The family includes cereals, bamboo, etc

such plants collectively, in a lawn, meadow, etcRelated adjectives: gramineous, verdant

any similar plant, such as knotgrass, deergrass, or scurvy grass

ground on which such plants grow; a lawn, field, etc

ground on which animals are grazed; pasture

a slang word for marijuana

British slang a person who informs, esp on criminals

short for sparrowgrass

get off the grass NZ informal an exclamation of disbelief

let the grass grow under one's feet to squander time or opportunity

put out to grass

to retire (a racehorse)
informal to retire (a person)

verb

to cover or become covered with grass

to feed or be fed with grass

(tr) to spread (cloth) out on grass for drying or bleaching in the sun

(tr) sport to knock or bring down (an opponent)

(tr) to shoot down (a bird)

(tr) to land (a fish) on a river bank

(intr usually foll by on) British slang to inform, esp to the police

Word Origin for grass

Old English græs; related to Old Norse, Gothic, Old High German gras, Middle High German gruose sap

British Dictionary definitions for let the grass grow under one's feet (2 of 2)

Grass

/ (German ɡras) /

noun

Günter (Wilhelm) (ˈɡyntər). born 1927, German novelist, dramatist, and poet. His novels include The Tin Drum (1959), Dog Years (1963), The Rat (1986), Crabwalk (2002), and Peeling the Onion (2007). Nobel prize for literature 1999

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

Word Origin and History for let the grass grow under one's feet

grass

Old English græs, gærs "herb, plant, grass," from Proto-Germanic grasan (cf. Old Norse, Old Saxon, Dutch, Old High German, German, Gothic gras, Swedish gräs), from PIE *ghros- "young shoot, sprout," from root *ghre- "to grow, become green" (related to grow and green).

As a color name (especially grass-green, Old English græsgrene) by c.1300. Sense of "marijuana" is first recorded 1938, American English. Hawaiian grass skirt attested from 1937; keep off the grass by 1850.

Science definitions for let the grass grow under one's feet

grass

[ grăs ]

Any of a large family (Gramineae or Poaceae) of monocotyledonous plants having narrow leaves, hollow stems, and clusters of very small, usually wind-pollinated flowers. Grasses include many varieties of plants grown for food, fodder, and ground cover. Wheat, maize, sugar cane, and bamboo are grasses. See more at leaf.

Idioms and Phrases with let the grass grow under one's feet (1 of 2)

let the grass grow under one's feet

see don't let the grass grow under one's feet.

Idioms and Phrases with let the grass grow under one's feet (2 of 2)

grass

In addition to the idioms beginning with grass

grass is always greener on the other side, the
grass widow

also see:

don't let the grass grow under one's feet
put out to grass
snake in the grass

grass

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of grass

British Dictionary definitions for let the grass grow under one's feet (1 of 2)

grass

noun

verb

Word Origin for grass

British Dictionary definitions for let the grass grow under one's feet (2 of 2)

Grass

noun

Word Origin and History for let the grass grow under one's feet

grass

Science definitions for let the grass grow under one's feet

grass

Idioms and Phrases with let the grass grow under one's feet (1 of 2)

let the grass grow under one's feet

Idioms and Phrases with let the grass grow under one's feet (2 of 2)

grass