ground

Definitions

• The surface of the Earth, as opposed to the sky or water or underground.
• (uncountable) Terrain.
• Soil, earth.
• (countable) The bottom of a body of water.
• Basis, foundation, groundwork, legwork.
• (chiefly) reason, (epistemic) justification, cause.
• Background, context, framework, surroundings.
• (historical) The area on which a battle is fought, particularly as referring to the area occupied by one side or the other. Often, according to the eventualities, "to give ground" or "to gain ground".
• (figurative) Advantage given or gained in any contest; e.g. in football, chess, debate or academic discourse.
• The plain surface upon which the figures of an artistic composition are set.
• In sculpture, a flat surface upon which figures are raised in relief.
• In point lace, the net of small meshes upon which the embroidered pattern is applied.
• In etching, a gummy substance spread over the surface of a metal to be etched, to prevent the acid from eating except where an opening is made by the needle.
• (architecture) One of the pieces of wood, flush with the plastering, to which mouldings etc. are attached.
• (countable) A soccer stadium.
• (electricity) An electrical conductor connected to the earth, or a large conductor whose electrical potential is taken as zero (such as a steel chassis).
• (countable) The area of grass on which a match is played (a cricket field); the entire arena in which it is played; the part of the field behind a batsman's popping crease where he can not be run out (hence to make one's ground).
• (music) A composition in which the bass, consisting of a few bars of independent notes, is continually repeated to a varying melody.
• (music) The tune on which descants are raised; the plain song.
• The pit of a theatre.