grass

GRAS/ɡɹæs/GRAHS/ɡɹɑːs/

16 meanings of grass

1
green plantnouncountable or uncountable
A common green plant with thin leaves that covers fields, lawns, and open ground.
Like a soft green carpet spread over open ground.
Fresh grass grew thick along the edge of the river.
The children rolled around happily in the soft grass.
UsageSit on the grass. Grasses means kinds of grass.
2
noununcountable
A flat area of short, cut green plants around a home or in a park.
Like a green floor you can sit and play on outside.
Please don't walk on the grass near the flower beds.
We played catch on the grass behind the school.
UsagePeople cut the grass or mow the grass.
Similarlawn, turf, sward
3
marijuananounslanguncountable
Marijuana, a drug made from the dried flowers and leaves of the cannabis plant.
They smelled grass coming from the parked car.
He got caught with a small bag of grass in his jacket.
UsageSay some grass. A grass means something else.
Similarcannabis, weed, dope, herb, ganja
Note
4
nouncountable
A plant that looks like grass but belongs to a different plant family.
Like something that looks real but is actually a different thing underneath.
People call this pond plant a grass, but it is a sedge.
Some garden grasses belong to completely different plant families.

Less common meanings

5
offline worldnounslanguncountable
The world outside, away from screens and the internet.
Like opening a window for fresh air after being stuck inside all day.
After three days indoors, he finally went out to touch grass.
Maybe step away from the screen and touch some grass for once.
UsageMost often in touch grass: go outside and stop using screens.
6
cover with turfverbtransitive
To cover an area of ground with grass or laid turf.
Like rolling out a green carpet over bare dirt.
They plan to grass the bare patch behind the house.
Workers grassed the new traffic island last week.
Similarturf, sod, seed
7
verbslangBritishtransitive or intransitive
To tell the police about someone's crimes.
Like telling the teacher exactly who broke the window.
He refused to grass, even when the police pressured him for hours.
She threatened to grass her own brother.
UsageSay grass on someone or grass someone up.
Similarinform, snitch, squeal, denounce, finger
Note
8
informernounslangBritishcountable
A person who secretly tells the police about other people's crimes.
Like a kid who runs to the teacher to report classmates.
Nobody on the estate trusted him once they knew he was a grass.
The gang spent weeks trying to find the grass among them.
UsageCalling someone a grass is a strong insult.
Similarinformer, informant, rat, mole, snitch
Note
9
pastureverbtransitive
To feed cows, sheep, or other animals with grass.
Farmers grass their cattle on the open hills all summer.
The farm grasses its sheep on the hillside from May to October.
Similargraze, pasture
10
spring seasonnouncountable or uncountable
The time of year when fresh grass grows, in spring or summer.
Similarspring, springtime
11
knock downverbtransitive
To knock or bring someone or something down onto the ground, like a boxer or a caught fish.
Like knocking a bowling pin flat with one throw.
One solid punch can grass a much bigger fighter.
The defender grassed the striker just outside the box.
Similarfloor, fell, flatten
Note
12
nounobsoletefigurativelycountable
Something that lasts only a short time and soon fades away.
The grasse withereth, the flowre fadeth; because the spirit of the Lord bloweth vpon it: surely the people is grasse.
1611, The Holy Bible, King James VersionHere, grass means something that lasts a short time and soon fades away.
Note
13
noun
Tiny sharp spikes in the line on an old-style screen, caused by random interference.
14
noun
Asparagus, the green vegetable with long, tender stems.
15
noun
The ground at the top of a mine, above where people dig.
16
verb
To lay flax or cloth out on grass so the sun makes it whiter.

Practice

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Origin

It comes from Old English 'græs', going far back to a root meaning 'to grow'. It is related to the words 'grow' and 'green'.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Grass descends from Old English græs. en.wiktionary.org
Its ultimate root means 'to grow'. en.wiktionary.org
Grass is etymologically related to grow and green. en.wiktionary.org