grind

GRYND/ˈɡɹaɪnd/

Verbgrinds, grinding, ground

Noun pluralgrinds

23 meanings of grind

Practice

1
verbtransitive
To crush something into small pieces or powder, or to be crushed or worn down in this way.
Millers grind grain between two heavy stones to produce flour.
The pharmacist ground the dried herbs into a fine powder.
UsageThe past form is ground (not ~~incorrect: grinded~~), as in ground coffee. Often grind something into powder or to flour.
Similarcrush, mill, pound, pulverize, powder
2
nouncountable or uncountable
Long, hard, often tedious work or effort, especially the daily effort of earning a living.
The daily commute had become a tedious grind she dreaded.
Editing the manuscript line by line proved to be a slow grind.
UsageUsually a grind, and often the daily grind: back to the daily grind on Monday.
Similardrudgery, slog, chore, toil
Note
The tedious-task noun stretches to physical toil as well. In Trains Illustrated (1961), D. Bertram describes 'the stiff uphill grind to Harrogate', a train's long climb.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
D. Bertram published the cited railway article in Trains Illustrated in 1961. en.wikipedia.org
The quotation is exact and describes the railway climb toward Harrogate. en.wiktionary.org
3
scrape noisilyverbintransitive
To move with great difficulty or friction, often with a harsh grating sound.
The heavy doors grind on their rusty hinges.
The truck's brakes ground loudly as it came to a stop.
UsageOften in grind to a halt: traffic ground to a halt.
Similargrate, scrape, screech, rasp
4
nouncountable or uncountable
The action of reducing something to powder, or of sharpening it, by friction.
The steady grind of the mill turned the grain to flour.
A long grind on the whetstone restored the blade's edge.
UsageOften give something a grind: give the beans a quick grind.
Similarmilling, crushing
5
verbtransitive
To shape, smooth, or sharpen something by rubbing it against a hard, rough surface.
Machinists grind the surface to within a fraction of a millimeter.
The welder ground the weld flush with the plate.
Similarsharpen, hone, file, smooth, polish
Note
A machinist's word, more exact than general shaping by friction. The aim is to take material off a workpiece, usually against a rotating abrasive wheel, until it reaches a finished dimension or a smooth surface. Welders grind a seam flush, and machinists grind a part to size.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 4 facts
Grinding removes material using a rotating abrasive wheel. open.edu
Grinding is used to finish a workpiece's dimensions or surface. open.edu
Welds can be ground flush. pa.gov
Machinists use grinding to finish parts to size. open.edu
6
work hardverbslangintransitive
To work or study very hard, often through long, exhausting effort.
Startup founders grind for years before seeing any reward.
She grinds through double shifts to support her family.
UsageOften grind through something or grind away at it; close to hustle.
Similarslog, toil, labor, hustle, graft
Oppositeslack, loaf
Note
School slang that is older than it sounds. In Frederic W. Farrar's St. Winifred's (1862), a boy is teased for how hard he is grinding over his verses.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 4 facts
The study sense occurs in nineteenth-century school dialogue. gutenberg.org
Frederic W. Farrar wrote St. Winifred's. gutenberg.net.au
St. Winifred's was first published in 1862. gutenberg.net.au
Wilton teases Charlie Evson for grinding while working on assigned verses. gutenberg.org
7
repeat in gamesverbtransitive
To repeat the same in-game task many times in a row to reach a particular goal.
Many players grind low-level monsters to earn enough gold for better gear.
He spent the weekend grinding the dungeon for a legendary drop.
UsageTakes the task as object, grind a dungeon, or for the reward: grind for gold.
Similarfarm
Note
Gamers' jargon for deliberate repetition, such as killing the same enemies or replaying a level to pile up loot, extra lives or currency. The bare noun is used too: Will Luton's Free-to-Play (2013) says such games 'feature grind'. Unlike working hard, it always implies doing the same thing over and over.
8
oppressverbtransitive
To oppress people or wear down their strength through harsh, relentless treatment.
Endless debt and long hours can slowly grind workers down.
The regime ground its critics into silence.
UsageUsually grind someone down; also grind people into silence or submission.
Similaroppress, crush, persecute, tyrannize
9
verbslangintransitive
To dance in a sexually suggestive way, rotating the hips or pressing close against a partner.
Couples grind together as the music gets louder.
She grinds with her boyfriend at every party.
UsageOften grind with or against a partner; couples grind together.
10
rub bodiesverbslangintransitive
To rub one's body against another person's in a sexual way.
Kissing on the couch, the two of them began to grind against each other.
He was arrested for grinding against passengers on the subway.
UsageUsually grind against someone.
Similarrub
Note
The most explicit of the sexual uses, and common in romance fiction such as Elizabeth Hoyt's Lord of Darkness (2013). Unlike the dance senses, it means sexual contact rather than movement to music.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
Elizabeth Hoyt wrote Lord of Darkness, published in 2013. hachettebookgroup.com
Lord of Darkness contains grind in the sexual body-rubbing sense. en.wiktionary.org
11
churn outverbtransitive
To produce something steadily and mechanically, as though cranking it out by hand.
Cheap publishers grind out formula novels to meet demand.
The mill ground out yard after yard of identical cloth.
UsageUsually grind out: grind out novels or reports.
Similarchurn, crank, pump
12
a board tricknouncountable or uncountable
A trick in which a skateboard or snowboard slides along an obstacle such as a rail.
The skater nailed a smooth grind along the metal rail.
A clean grind down the staircase rail earned loud cheers.
Similarslide
13
metal musicnoununcountableabbreviationclipping
Short for grindcore: a very fast, extreme style mixing heavy metal and hardcore punk, with screams or growls.
The festival lineup leaned heavily toward grind and death metal.
Their new album is pure grind from start to finish.
Note
A fan's short name for grindcore, the fusion genre of heavy metal and hardcore punk known for aggressive riffs, extremely rapid drumming and undecipherable screaming.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
The musical term 'grind' is a clipping of 'grindcore'. en.wiktionary.org
Grindcore characteristically features aggressive riffs, extremely rapid drumming and largely unintelligible screaming. en.wiktionary.org

Less common meanings

14
how fine (coffee)nouncountable or uncountable
The degree to which coffee beans have been crushed, ranging from coarse to fine.
A medium grind works best for a drip coffee maker.
The barista adjusted the grind to fix the bitter taste.
UsageSay a fine or coarse grind, or name the method with no article: espresso grind.
Note
The point is particle size, which is matched to the method because it controls extraction and flavor. Unlike ground material in general, it names a setting or degree, not just a substance.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 1 fact
Grind concerns particle size, which is matched to brewing method because it affects extraction and flavor. kitchenaid.com
15
minced meatnouncountable or uncountable
A substance that has been crushed or pulverized into powder or small particles.
The butcher sold a coarse grind of beef and pork for the sausages.
The burger shop mixes its own grind from three cuts of beef.
Similarmince
16
verbintransitive
To slide along a rail, ledge, or similar obstacle with part of a skateboard or snowboard, such as the trucks or the base, scraping against it.
Skaters grind across the ledge to show off their balance.
He grinds along the rail before dropping back to the ground.
UsageOften with along, across or down: grind along a ledge, grind down a handrail.
Similarslide
Note
Skateboarders and snowboarders use it for sliding along a rail, ledge or curb. The board rides on its trucks or base instead of rolling on its wheels.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 1 fact
Grinding involves sliding against an obstacle rather than rolling on the wheels. en.wikipedia.org
17
annoyverbslangtransitive
To annoy or irritate a person, often persistently.
It grinds me when people talk during movies.
Rude comments grind her every single time.
UsageAlso in the phrase grind your gears: it really grinds my gears.
Similarannoy, irritate, bug, irk, rile
Note
Steven Wunderink's Minding Your Spiritual Business (2003) speaks of 'something that really grinds me'.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 1 fact
Steven Wunderink's Minding Your Spiritual Business contains the quoted words, attributed by Wiktionary to page 139. en.wiktionary.org
18
drill inverbtransitive
To fix knowledge in someone's mind through repeated, insistent teaching.
Tutors grind grammar rules into their pupils through relentless repetition.
The sergeant ground the regulations into every new recruit.
UsageUsually grind something into someone: grind the rules into recruits.
Similardrill, drum, hammer, instill
19
turn a handleverbtransitive
To operate a machine or device by turning a crank or handle.
Street musicians grind their barrel organs to coax out a tune for the crowd.
He ground the hand mill steadily to crush the grain.
Similarcrank, turn
20
keen studentnounarchaiccountable or uncountable
A student who works and studies with relentless, single-minded effort.
The other boys teased the grind who spent every evening at his books.
She was the grind of the year, always first to the library.
Similarswot
Note
Archaic student slang for the one who never leaves the books, and usually a reproach. The Naughty-Naughtian (1900) warns 'don't be a grind'. In Sunset (1911), a character insists he 'was never much of a grind'.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 5 facts
Grind is archaic slang for someone who studies hard. en.wiktionary.org
The term has a reproachful connotation, and The Naughty-Naughtian contains the quoted warning, in Gifford Arthur Nelson's contribution. archive.org
The Naughty-Naughtian was published in 1900; the original title-page transcription identifies that year's class and says it was finished that year. archive.org
The cited volume of Sunset, volume 27, was published in 1911. catalog.hathitrust.org
The Sunset quotation is dialogue spoken by a character. en.wiktionary.org
21
verbdatedtransitive
To automatically format and indent program code into a consistent layout.
Similarformat, indent
Note
An old programmer's word, now rare, for pretty-printing source code: reindenting it into a consistent layout, often for a printout. It belonged to the MacLisp community, so Lisp code was the usual case. The code is the object: you grind a function or a file, and what changes is its layout, not its behavior.
22
verbdialectalHawaii
To eat or consume a meal.
23
noun
A traditional communal hunt of pilot whales carried out in the Faroe Islands.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of grind apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Middle English grynden, from Old English grindan, going back through Proto-West Germanic *grindan to Proto-Germanic *grindaną. It is related to Dutch grinden ("to grind") and grind ("gravel").

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

English grind derives from Middle English grynden, from Old English grindan. en.wiktionary.org
Old English grindan descends through Proto-West Germanic *grindan from Proto-Germanic *grindaną. en.wiktionary.org
English grind is related to Dutch grinden, meaning to grind. en.wiktionary.org
English grind is related to Dutch grind, meaning gravel. en.wiktionary.org