grind
Grind (verb) means to crush or wear something down into smaller pieces through friction, such as grinding coffee beans. Example: “She ground the coffee beans fresh every morning.”
How to Use Grind
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo crush something into smaller bits, or to put in sustained, exhausting effort.
Word Forms
ground past tense, grinded past tense, grounden past tense, grind plural, ground plural, grinded plural, grinds plural, grinds singular, grind singular, ground singular, grindest singular, groundst singular, groundest singular, grindeth singular, grinded singular
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
He's been _____ away at his thesis for months.
Etymology
From Old English grindan, going back to a Proto-Germanic root simply meaning "to grind" — the "hard, repetitive work" sense developed much later as a figurative extension.
Related Words
Rhymes for grind
See all rhymes for grind →Frequently Asked Questions
What does “grind” mean?
The word “grind” means to crush or wear something down into smaller pieces through friction, such as grinding coffee beans. In plain terms, to crush something into smaller bits, or to put in sustained, exhausting effort.
How do you pronounce “grind”?
“Grind” is pronounced GRYND (/ˈɡɹaɪnd/ in IPA).
How do you use “grind” in a sentence?
Here is “grind” used in a sentence: “He's been grinding away at his thesis for months.”
What part of speech is “grind”?
Depending on how it is used, “grind” can be a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “grind” come from?
The word “grind” comes from Old English. From Old English grindan, going back to a Proto-Germanic root simply meaning "to grind" — the "hard, repetitive work" sense developed much later as a figurative extension.
Is “grind” a common word?
“Grind” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “grind” have?
“Grind” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to crush or wear something down into smaller pieces through friction, such as grinding coffee beans.
What is the difference between 'grind' and 'crush'?
To 'grind' is to wear something down into smaller pieces through friction, usually producing a powder, as with coffee beans. To 'crush' is to press or squeeze something out of shape, often flattening it, without necessarily reducing it to particles. Grinding involves rubbing; crushing involves pressure.
What is the difference between 'grind' and 'mince'?
Both reduce food into small pieces, but 'grind' wears material down through friction into particles or powder, while 'mince' chops it into very small bits, as with minced meat. American English often says meat is 'ground', whereas British English tends to say 'minced'.