ground
1 the surface of the earth
2 holes in the ground
3 the movement of the ground
4 digging the ground
large areas of ground LAND
the countryside COUNTRY
1 the surface of the earth
- the solid surface of the earth: ground (noun U), earth (noun U)
to sit/stand/lie on the ground ◎ above/below ground ◎ at ground level ◎ The earth/ground shook. ◎ The satellite fell to earth.
- the solid surface of the earth (in contrast with the sea): land (noun U)
After three days at sea she was glad to reach dry land. ◎ Penguins can't move very fast on land.
- below the surface of the earth: underground (adjective, adverb)
an underground car park ◎ They spent several days underground.
Note: the ground is the solid surface under your feet when you are outside; when you are inside a building, the surface under your feet is the floor; we talk about sitting, standing, lying, etc on the ground or floor.
- The earth is the name of the planet on which we live; earth can also be used to talk about the world in contrast to the sky; if we describe something falling from a great height, we are more likely to use earth.
- Land is the surface of the earth which is not sea; it is also a large area which you buy, live on or grow food on.
- the type of ground which trees and plants grow in: soil (noun U), earth (noun U)
Is the soil in your garden good for roses? ◎ wet/heavy soil (= with a lot of water in it)
dry/light soil (= without a lot of water in it)
a lump of earth ◎ We filled in the hole with earth.
- when land is good for farming and growing plants, etc, it is rich, fertile; opposites: poor, infertile
- very wet earth: mud (noun U); adjective: muddy
a muddy field
- an area of soft, wet ground: bog, marsh, swamp; adjectives: boggy, marshy, swampy
a boggy area ◎ marshy ground
- heavy earth which is used to make pots, etc: clay (noun U)
- dry earth: dirt (noun U)
a dirt track
- tiny pieces of very dry earth which rise into the air like a cloud: dust (noun U); adjective: dusty
a dusty track
- the very hard, stony part of the earth: rock (noun U)
Beneath the soil was a layer of rock.
- having many stones or rocks: stony, rocky
stony ground
- the type of ground found in deserts and on beaches, made of tiny pieces of stone: sand (noun U); adjective: sandy
sandy soil
※ more on stone STONE
- when the ground has no parts higher or lower than others, it is level, flat
We looked for a level/flat piece of ground to make a football pitch.
- when it is not level, it is uneven
- an area of lower ground: dip
The cottage lay in a dip in the ground.
- a deep track that a wheel makes in soft ground: rut
2 holes in the ground
- a hole in the side of a hill or mountain or under the ground: cave; a large cave: cavern
- a deep hole in the ground which can lead to underground caves: pothole
- a large hole that is made in the ground in order to dig out stone, etc: pit
a gravel pit
3 the movement of the ground
- a sudden violent movement of the earth's surface: earthquake; a small earthquake: tremor
There was a violent earthquake followed by several small tremors.
- a sudden fall of earth, rocks, etc down the side of a hill or mountain: landslide
- a movement like a landslide, when a huge mass of snow moves downward: avalanche
- damage to the ground due to heavy rain, floods, removal of trees, etc: erosion (noun U); to cause erosion: erode sth (usually passive)
soil erosion ◎ The cliffs are being gradually eroded by the sea.
4 digging the ground
- to make a hole in the ground by moving earth with a spade, your hands, etc: dig* (sth)
I could see some men digging a hole in the road. ◎ He was digging in the garden.
- to get sb/sth out of a place by digging: dig* sb/sth out (of sth)
a gold coin that had been dug out of a field
- to look for sth by digging: dig* for sth
The police were out digging for evidence.
- to remove sth from the ground by digging: dig* sth up
I want to dig up those plants and put them in the back garden.
- to make a hole or take soil away by digging: dig* sth up
They're digging up the road outside.
- to put sth into a hole in the ground: bury sth
buried treasure
※ more on holes HOLE
- to dig deep into the ground: excavate sth; noun (U/C): excavation
They're excavating here to make the foundations of the new museum.
- to dig in the ground for coal, gold, etc: mine (for sth)
to mine for silver
- a hole or system of holes and passages that people dig under the ground in order to obtain coal, gold, or other minerals: mine
a diamond mine
- a person who mines: miner
※ coal mines COAL
- a machine that is used for digging: digger
- to make sth flat: level sth
The ground needs levelling.
- a machine like a large tractor which is used for levelling the ground: bulldozer
- to level sth with a bulldozer: bulldoze sth
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