grounds

Basis or justification for something.

Noun law

  1. Basis or justification for something.
    • grounds for divorce
    • There was, however, one proposal which, had it reached fruition, might have had far-reaching effects. This was for the amalgamation of the Caledonian, the Edinburgh & Glasgow, and the Scottish Central Railways, for...
  2. The collective land areas that compose a larger area.
    • the castle grounds
    • House Prees and Bloods […] were everywhere to be seen in earnest colloquy. For the matter was, that there was some sort of night-prowler about the school grounds. - 1922, Michael Arlen, “1/1/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic...

Origin

From ground (“basis, surroundings”).

Forms

grounds

Derived

Archgrounds fairgrounds groundskeeper groundskeeping groundsman grounds officer groundswoman stomping grounds

Noun form of, plural

  1. plural of ground

Origin

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun plural, plural only

  1. The sediment at the bottom of a liquid, or from which a liquid has been filtered.
    • coffee grounds

Origin

From ground, past participle of to grind.

Verb

  1. third-person singular simple present indicative of ground