Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Ground \Ground\ (ground), n. [OE. ground, grund, AS. grund; akin
   to D. grond, OS., G., Sw., & Dan. grund, Icel. grunnr bottom,
   Goth. grundus (in composition); perh. orig. meaning, dust,
   gravel, and if so perh. akin to E. grind.]
   1. The surface of the earth; the outer crust of the globe, or
      some indefinite portion of it.

            There was not a man to till the ground. --Gen. ii.
                                                  5.

            The fire ran along upon the ground.   --Ex. ix. 23.
      Hence: A floor or pavement supposed to rest upon the
      earth.

   2. Any definite portion of the earth's surface; region;
      territory; country. Hence: A territory appropriated to, or
      resorted to, for a particular purpose; the field or place
      of action; as, a hunting or fishing ground; a play ground.

            From . . . old Euphrates, to the brook that parts
            Egypt from Syrian ground.             --Milton.

   3. Land; estate; possession; field; esp. (pl.), the gardens,
      lawns, fields, etc., belonging to a homestead; as, the
      grounds of the estate are well kept.

            Thy next design is on thy neighbor's grounds.
                                                  --Dryden. 4.

   4. The basis on which anything rests; foundation. Hence: The
      foundation of knowledge, belief, or conviction; a premise,
      reason, or datum; ultimate or first principle; cause of
      existence or occurrence; originating force or agency; as,
      the ground of my hope.

   5. (Paint. & Decorative Art)
      (a) That surface upon which the figures of a composition
          are set, and which relieves them by its plainness,
          being either of one tint or of tints but slightly
          contrasted with one another; as, crimson Bowers on a
          white ground. See {Background}, {Foreground}, and
          {Middle-ground}.
      (b) In sculpture, a flat surface upon which figures are
          raised in relief.
      (c) In point lace, the net of small meshes upon which the
          embroidered pattern is applied; as, Brussels ground.
          See {Brussels lace}, under {Brussels}.

   6. (Etching) A gummy composition 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.

   7. (Arch.) One of the pieces of wood, flush with the
      plastering, to which moldings, etc., are attached; --
      usually in the plural.

   Note: Grounds are usually put up first and the plastering
         floated flush with them.

   8. (Mus.)
      (a) A composition in which the bass, consisting of a few
          bars of independent notes, is continually repeated to
          a varying melody.
      (b) The tune on which descants are raised; the plain song.
          --Moore (Encyc.).

                On that ground I'll build a holy descant.
                                                  --Shak.

   9. (Elec.) A conducting connection with the earth, whereby
      the earth is made part of an electrical circuit.

   10. pl. Sediment at the bottom of liquors or liquids; dregs;
       lees; feces; as, coffee grounds.

   11. The pit of a theater. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.

   {Ground angling}, angling with a weighted line without a
      float.

   {Ground annual} (Scots Law), an estate created in land by a
      vassal who instead of selling his land outright reserves
      an annual ground rent, which becomes a perpetual charge
      upon the land.

   {Ground ash}. (Bot.) See {Groutweed}.

   {Ground bailiff} (Mining), a superintendent of mines.
      --Simmonds.

   {Ground bait}, bits of bread, boiled barley or worms, etc.,
      thrown into the water to collect the fish, --Wallon.

   {Ground bass} or {base} (Mus.), fundamental base; a
      fundamental base continually repeated to a varied melody.
      

   {Ground beetle} (Zo["o]l.), one of numerous species of
      carnivorous beetles of the family {Carabid[ae]}, living
      mostly in burrows or under stones, etc.

   {Ground chamber}, a room on the ground floor.

   {Ground cherry}. (Bot.)
       (a) A genus ({Physalis}) of herbaceous plants having an
           inflated calyx for a seed pod: esp., the strawberry
           tomato ({P. Alkekengi}). See {Alkekengl}.
       (b) A European shrub ({Prunus Cham[ae]cerasus}), with
           small, very acid fruit.

   {Ground cuckoo}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Chaparral cock}.

   {Ground cypress}. (Bot.) See {Lavender cotton}.

   {Ground dove} (Zo["o]l.), one of several small American
      pigeons of the genus {Columbigallina}, esp. {C. passerina}
      of the Southern United States, Mexico, etc. They live
      chiefly on the ground.

   {Ground fish} (Zo["o]l.), any fish which constantly lives on
      the botton of the sea, as the sole, turbot, halibut.

   {Ground floor}, the floor of a house most nearly on a level
      with the ground; -- called also in America, but not in
      England, the {first floor}.

   {Ground form} (Gram.), the stem or basis of a word, to which
      the other parts are added in declension or conjugation. It
      is sometimes, but not always, the same as the root.