groomed

1. 1
   brushed or trainedverb

   Simple past and past participle of groom.

   The founder groomed his daughter for years to take over the company.

   By noon the stable hands had groomed every horse in the barn.

   Note

   Without a helper verb it is the past tense (the stable hands groomed every horse); after have or be it is the participle (the slopes were groomed overnight). What was groomed usually shows which sense is meant: a horse brushed, a ski run packed, a successor readied to take over. Said of a child or vulnerable person, though, it names the deliberate winning of trust in order to exploit them, so use it with care.

2. 2
   neatadjective

   Having a neat, clean appearance and being well cared for.

   The candidate's groomed appearance stood out next to his rumpled opponent.

   The neighbors keep their yard so groomed that not a leaf ever lies on the grass.

   Similarneat, tidy, polished, smart

   Oppositeunkempt, scruffy, untidy, messy

Showing meanings only. Show all 2