grind
/ˈɡɹaɪnd/ verb, noun
Forms grinds grinding ground grinded grindest groundst groundest grindeth grounden
- verb (transitive) To reduce to smaller pieces by crushing with lateral motion.
- verb (transitive) To shape with the force of friction. “grind a lens; grind an axe”
- verb (metalworking) To remove material by rubbing with an abrasive surface.
- verb (intransitive) To become ground, pulverized, or polished by friction. “This corn grinds well.”
- verb To move with much difficulty or friction; to grate.
- verb (sports, intransitive) To slide the flat portion of a skateboard or snowboard across an obstacle such as a railing.
- verb (transitive) To oppress, hold down or weaken.
- verb (slang, intransitive) To rotate the hips erotically.
- noun The act of reducing to powder, or of sharpening, by friction.
- noun Something that has been reduced to powder, something that has been ground.
- noun A specific degree of pulverization of coffee beans. “This bag contains espresso grind.”
- noun A tedious and laborious task. “This homework is a grind.”
- noun A grinding trick on a skateboard or snowboard.
- noun (archaic, slang) One who studies hard.
- noun (uncountable, slang) Hustle; hard work. “I've been on the grind all week, trying to make ends meet.”
- noun A traditional communal pilot whale hunt in the Faroe Islands.
Synonyms
chore swot grindadráp nerd wonk dweeb drudgery plodding donkeywork mill pulverization pulverisation crunch cranch craunch grate labor labour toil fag travail drudge dig moil mash bray comminute
Etymology
From Middle English grynden, from Old English grindan (“to grind”), from Proto-West Germanic *grindan, from Proto-Germanic *grindaną (“to crush, grind”).
Cognate with Saterland Frisian gríende, griene (“to grind, mill”), West Frisian grintsje (“to crush, punish”), Dutch grinden (“to grind”, rare) and grind (“gravel, shingle”), Albanian grind (“to brawl, fight”).
From Faroese grind (“pilot-whale meat”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To reduce to powder by friction, as in a mill, or with the teeth; to crush into small fragments; to produce as by the action of millstones.
- verb To wear down, polish, or sharpen, by friction; to make smooth, sharp, or pointed; to whet, as a knife or drill; to rub against one another, as teeth, etc.
- verb To perform the operation of grinding something; to turn the millstones.
- verb To become ground or pulverized by friction; as, this corn grinds well.
Etymology [AS. grindan; perh. akin to L. frendere to gnash, grind. Cf. Grist.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “grind”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details