■ noun
1》 vegetation consisting of short plants with long narrow leaves, growing wild or cultivated on lawns and pasture.
↘ground covered with ~.
2》 a plant with jointed stems and spikes of small wind-pollinated flowers, predominant in such vegetation. [Family Gramineae: many species.]
3》 informal cannabis.
4》 Brit. informal a police informer.
■ verb
1》 cover with ~.
2》 (often ~ on ) Brit. informal inform the police of criminal activity or plans.
3》 land (a fish).
4》 chiefly Rugby & Australian Rules knock down.
Phrases
at ~ grazing.
not let the ~ grow under one's feet not delay in taking action.
put out to ~ put (an animal) out to graze.
↘ informal force (someone) to retire.
Derivatives
~less adjective
~-like adjective
Origin
OE græs , of Gmc origin; ult. related to green and grow . The sense 'police informer' is perh. related to C19 rhyming sl. ~hopper 'copper'.