I. ˈgras, -aa(ə)-, -ai-, -ȧ- noun
( -es )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English gras, from Old English græs; akin to Old High German, Old Norse, & Gothic gras grass, Old English grōwan to grow, and perhaps to Latin gramen grass — more at grow
1.
a. : green herbage that affords food for grazing animals and that usually consists predominantly of narrow-leaved monocotyledonous plants of the families Gramineae, Cyperaceae, and Juncaceae often intermixed with various dicotyledonous herbs
the moist spring has brought on a good growth of grass
b. now chiefly dialect : a small herb ; especially : one used medicinally
c. : a plant of the family Gramineae
the bamboos include the largest grasses some of which attain a height of 120 feet
d. : any of various herbaceous plants with narrow linear foliage — used in combination; see blue-eyed grass
e.
(1) : asparagus
(2) slang : a leafy vegetable ; especially : lettuce
2.
a. : grazing
grass enough to keep a cow
: land set apart or available for grazing
b. : land on which grass is grown for hay or pasture : pasture , meadow , lea
3. obsolete : the vegetative condition of a cereal before the ear of grain is developed
4. : a leaf or plant of grass — now used only in plural
hair tangled with grasses and twigs
5. : ground covered with growing grass
keep off the grass
dropped his bundles on the grass
6. now dialect : the season at which grass springs into growth : spring
7. : a state or place of retirement (as from cares, responsibilities, or privileges)
would like to go to grass for a month or so
has been at grass for several years
8. : grass sponge
9. : electronic noise on a radarscope that takes the form of vertical lines resembling lawn grass
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
transitive verb
1.
a. : to provide (as cattle) with grass for food : furnish with pasture : graze
pasture to grass 30 head
b. : to feed (livestock) on grass without grain or other concentrates
2.
a. : to cover with grass
it is easier but more expensive to grass a lawn with turfs
especially : to seed to grass
decided to grass the north 40 that year
— often used with down
grassed down the newly cleared land with rye grass and white clover
b. : to lay with turfs
3. : to spread (as linen for bleaching) on the grass
4. : to bring or knock to the ground : fell
grassed his opponent with a well-placed blow
especially : to shoot (a game bird) down or land (a fish) on the bank of a stream
intransitive verb
1. : to produce grass — often used with up
the new lawns are grassing up well
2. Britain , of a compositor : to do temporary or casual work : sub
III. noun
: marijuana