grinding

1. 1
   verb

   Present participle of grind. Use this -ing form when the action is happening now or as the name of the action.

   The mill kept grinding wheat into flour all afternoon.

   She spent the morning grinding fresh coffee beans.

   Note
2. 2
   noununcountable

   The crushing of something into small bits, or the sound that crushing makes.

   Like crushing crackers into crumbs with the back of a spoon.

   You could hear the grinding of the stones from outside.

   The grinding crushed the dried seeds into tiny pieces.

   Similarmilling, crushing

   Note
3. 3
   adjective

   So hard and tiring that it slowly wears a person down.

   Like carrying a heavy load up a hill that never seems to end.

   The grinding routine of double shifts left her exhausted.

   Living in grinding poverty was hard on the children.

   Similargrueling, punishing, exhausting, backbreaking, crushing

   Oppositeundemanding, easy

   Note
4. 4
   adjective

   Making a harsh, scraping noise, like hard things rubbing together.

   Like the sound of metal scraping against stone.

   The grinding sound of the gears was hard to ignore.

   A grinding noise came from under the car.

   Similargrating, rasping

   Note
5. 5
   noununcountable

   Doing the same game task over and over to gain points or money.

   Like doing the same chore over and over to slowly earn an allowance.

   All that grinding finally got him the rare sword.

   The grinding needed to reach the top level felt endless.

   Similarfarming

   Note
6. 6
   nouncolloquialuncountable

   The boring, tiring routine of everyday work.

   Like waking up to the same tiring day of work again and again.

   Every Monday she went back to the grinding of the office.

   He was tired of the daily grinding at the warehouse.

   Similardrudgery, toil

   Note
7. 7
   noununcountable

   A dance where two people press and rub their bodies together.

   Like two people swaying very close together to the beat.

   The grinding at the school dance got the teachers worried.

   Their grinding to the loud music drew a crowd.

   Note
8. 8
   noununcountable

   Using a rough wheel or tool to shape and smooth a part.

   Like sanding wood down until it's exactly the shape you want.

   The grinding of the steel part took several passes.

   Careful grinding smoothed every rough edge.

   Note

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