grass
/ɡrɑːs/ (bre, ipa) · [ɡrˈæs] /ɡræs/ (ame, ipa) · [ɡrˈæs] /ˈgras/ (ame, mw)
grass — noun
- grasssingular
- grassesplural
1. a green plant made of narrow leaves, usually growing thickly over fields, lawns,
a green plant made of narrow leaves, usually growing thickly over fields, lawns, and other open land
After a week of rain, wet grass covered the football field.
grass as the plant covering open land
The children rolled down the hill and came home with grass stains.
Fresh grass pushed through the soil beside the old stone wall.
Cows moved slowly across the meadow, pulling up mouthfuls of grass.
用法筆記
Usually uncountable when talking about the plant as ground cover. Use sense 2 when the focus is the grassy area itself, such as a lawn or sports field.
2. ground whose surface is covered in grass, for example a lawn, a field, or a spor
ground whose surface is covered in grass, for example a lawn, a field, or a sports area
We spread a blanket on the grass and ate lunch by the lake.
on the grass = on a grassy surface
Please keep off the grass while the park workers water it.
common park warning
The runners warmed up on the grass behind the stadium.
Morning frost left the grass white outside the school gym.
- lawn
usually means a cared-for grassy area beside a house or building
文法句型
on the grass
keep off the grass
用法筆記
Often used after on or off when talking about standing, sitting, or signs in a park. Unlike sense 1, this sense points to the surface or area, not the plant type.
3. the conditions or style of play on a natural grass court or field, especially in
the conditions or style of play on a natural grass court or field, especially in tennis
Nia plays better on grass than on clay courts.
on grass contrasted with another surface
The tournament always feels faster once the players move onto grass.
move onto grass for a competition
Some players struggle on grass because the ball stays low.
Coaches said Jude's serve would be dangerous on grass.
- grass-court tennis
names the sport setting more fully instead of the short surface label
文法句型
be better on grass
用法筆記
Usually appears after on in sports talk. It contrasts with clay or hard courts rather than with the plant itself.
4. marijuana, especially when people speak about it casually
marijuana, especially when people speak about it casually
Police found bags of grass hidden under the back seat.
grass = marijuana in crime contexts
The film shows teenagers buying grass behind a music club.
Airport officers questioned the man after smelling grass in the suitcase.
The warning poster says grass can still damage young brains.
用法筆記
Informal slang, often heard in speech or crime reports. It belongs to drug vocabulary, not to the plant sense in 1.
5. a person who secretly gives the police information about another person's crimes
a person who secretly gives the police information about another person's crimes
The gang looked for the grass after the police raid.
grass = person informing police
No one in the prison yard wanted to share a cell with a grass.
Rumors spread that a grass had warned officers about the robbery.
The boss trusted nobody once he suspected a grass in the crew.
文法句型
be a grass
suspect a grass
用法筆記
Mainly British informal slang. It often appears with a or the when talking about someone who betrayed a group to the police.
grass — verb
- grasspresent simple I / you / we / they
- grasses3rd person singular
- grassing-ing form
- grassedpast simple
1. to put grass or grass seed on an area of bare ground so it becomes green
to put grass or grass seed on an area of bare ground so it becomes green
The town plans to grass the empty strip beside the new road.
grass + bare ground
Workers will grass the steep bank to stop the soil from washing away.
The school grassed the courtyard after removing the broken concrete.
A charity project helped villagers grass the dusty play area.
- seed
is broader and can refer to sowing any kind of seed, not only grass
文法句型
grass + area of land
用法筆記
Usually takes land, a bank, or another bare surface as its object. It means making the area grow grass, not simply placing a few plants there.
2. to let farm animals eat grass in a field as their main food
to let farm animals eat grass in a field as their main food
Farmers grass the cattle on higher land through the summer.
grass + livestock
The family grasses sheep near the river after the spring floods.
That farm grasses horses by day and shelters them at night.
Local rules limit how many goats each family may grass there.
- pasture
often means putting animals out in a pasture rather than focusing on grass as the food
文法句型
grass + animal
用法筆記
The object is the animal being fed, not the field. This is mainly farming language and is much less common than ordinary feed.
3. for grass to start growing on a piece of land
for grass to start growing on a piece of land
The burned hillside will grass again after two rainy seasons.
grass again after damage
Poor soil near the factory never grasses well without treatment.
Once the floodwater left, the riverbank slowly grassed again.
By autumn, the cleared patch had grassed and looked green again.
文法句型
land + grass again
用法筆記
Used about land or bare ground, especially after damage or clearing. It focuses on grass appearing again over the surface.
4. to secretly tell the police or another authority about someone's illegal or wron
to secretly tell the police or another authority about someone's illegal or wrong actions
One boy grassed on the others after the shop window was broken.
grass on + person or group
The thief promised not to grass if the gang paid him.
Nobody would work with Selim after Selim grassed on the group.
People said the driver grassed when inspectors asked about the illegal trips.
- keep quiet
means refusing to report anyone
文法句型
grass on + person or group
用法筆記
Mainly British informal slang. It is most often followed by on plus the person or group being reported.