Idioms for ground

Origin of ground

1
before 900; (noun) Middle English grownd, grund, Old English grund; cognate with Dutch grond, German Grund; (verb) Middle English grundien, grownden “to set on a foundation, establish,” derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM ground

Definition for break ground (2 of 2)

Origin of break

before 900; Middle English breken, Old English brecan; cognate with Dutch breken, German brechen, Gothic brikan; akin to Latin frangere; see fragile

synonym study for break

1. Break, crush, shatter, smash mean to reduce to parts, violently or by force. Break means to divide by means of a blow, a collision, a pull, or the like: to break a chair, a leg, a strap. To crush is to subject to (usually heavy or violent) pressure so as to press out of shape or reduce to shapelessness or to small particles: to crush a beetle. To shatter is to break in such a way as to cause the pieces to fly in many directions: to shatter a light globe. To smash is to break noisily and suddenly into many pieces: to smash a glass.

OTHER WORDS FROM break

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH break

brake break

British Dictionary definitions for break ground (1 of 3)

ground 1
/ (ɡraʊnd) /

noun

verb

Word Origin for ground

Old English grund; related to Old Norse grunn shallow, grunnr, grund plain, Old High German grunt

British Dictionary definitions for break ground (2 of 3)

ground 2
/ (ɡraʊnd) /

verb

the past tense and past participle of grind

adjective

having the surface finished, thickness reduced, or an edge sharpened by grinding
reduced to fine particles by grinding

British Dictionary definitions for break ground (3 of 3)

break
/ (breɪk) /

verb breaks, breaking, broke or broken

noun

interjection

boxing wrestling a command by a referee for two opponents to separate

Word Origin for break

Old English brecan; related to Old Frisian breka, Gothic brikan, Old High German brehhan, Latin frangere Sanskrit bhráj bursting forth

Scientific definitions for break ground

ground
[ ground ]

A connection between an electrical conductor and the Earth. Grounds are used to establish a common zero-voltage reference for electric devices in order to prevent potentially dangerous voltages from arising between them and other objects. Also called earth
The set of shared points in an electrical circuit at which the measured voltage is taken to be zero. The ground is usually connected directly to the power supply and acts as a common “sink” for current flowing through the components in the circuit.

Idioms and Phrases with break ground (1 of 3)

break ground

Also, break new ground.

1

Begin digging into the earth for new construction of some kind. For example, When will they break ground for the town hall? This usage alludes to breaking up the land with a plow. [Early 1700s]

2

Take the first steps for a new venture; advance beyond previous achievements. For example, Jeff is breaking new ground in intellectual property law. [Early 1700s]

Idioms and Phrases with break ground (2 of 3)

break

Idioms and Phrases with break ground (3 of 3)

ground