Part 630

Gross"ness, n. The state or quality of being gross; thickness; corpulence; coarseness; shamefulness.

Abhor the swinish grossness that delights to wound the' ear of delicacy.

Dr. T. Dwight.

Gros"su*lar (?), a. [NL. grossularius, from Grossularia a subgenus of Ribes, including the gooseberry, fr. F. groseille. See Gooseberry.] Pertaining too, or resembling, a gooseberry; as, grossular garnet.

Gros"su*lar, n. [See Grossular, a.] (Min.) A translucent garnet of a pale green color like that of the gooseberry; -- called also grossularite.

||Gros`su*la"ria (?), n. [NL. See Grossular.] (Min.) Same as Grossular.

Gros"su*lin (?), n. [See Grossular.] (Chem.) A vegetable jelly, resembling pectin, found in gooseberries (Ribes Grossularia) and other fruits.

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Grot (grt), n. [F. grotte, It. grotta. See Grotto.] A grotto. [Poetic] Milton.

Grot, Grote (&?;), n. A groat. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Gro*tesque" (gr*tsk"), a. [F., fr. It. grottesco, fr. grotta grotto. See Grotto.] Like the figures found in ancient grottoes; grottolike; wildly or strangely formed; whimsical; extravagant; of irregular forms and proportions; fantastic; ludicrous; antic. "Grotesque design." Dryden. "Grotesque incidents." Macaulay.

Gro*tesque, n. 1. A whimsical figure, or scene, such as is found in old crypts and grottoes. Dryden.

2. Artificial grotto-work.

Gro*tesque"ly, adv. In a grotesque manner.

Gro*tesque"ness, n. Quality of being grotesque.

Grot"to (grt"t), n.; pl. Grottoes (-tz). [Formerly grotta, fr. It. grotta, LL. grupta, fr. L. crypta a concealed subterranean passage, vault, cavern, Gr. kry`pth, fr. krypto`s concealed, fr. kry`ptein to conceal. Cf. Grot, Crypt.] A natural covered opening in the earth; a cave; also, an artificial recess, cave, or cavernlike apartment.

Grot"to-work` (?), n. Artificial and ornamental rockwork in imitation of a grotto. Cowper.

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.