verb
Common
grind
GRYND
Grind (verb) means to crush or wear something down into smaller pieces through friction, such as grinding coffee beans. Example: “Grind the peppercorns coarsely and sprinkle them over the salad.”
verb
1
To crush or wear something down into smaller pieces through friction, such as grinding coffee beans.
"Grind the peppercorns coarsely and sprinkle them over the salad."
"She ground the coffee beans fresh every morning."
"He ground the spices into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle."
2
To work hard and persistently at something difficult, often for a long stretch of time.
"I've been grinding through these exams all month without a single break."
"He's been grinding away at his thesis for months."
"She grinds every day at the gym to reach her goals."
noun
1
Tedious, repetitive hard work or effort.
"The long grind of night shifts left him exhausted."
"Marking essays every evening is a real grind for teachers."
"After years of the daily grind, she finally started her own business."
How to use grind
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo crush something into smaller bits, or to put in sustained, exhausting effort.
Common pairings
grind coffee
the daily grind
grind it out
grind through work
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Word forms
- Plural
- grinds
- Third person singular
- grinds
- Past tense
- ground, grinded, grounden
- Archaic forms
- grindest, groundst, groundest, grindeth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ the peppercorns coarsely and sprinkle them over the salad.
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.
Synonyms
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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'.
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