3 PHRASE If you grin and bear it , you accept a difficult or unpleasant situation without complaining because you know there is nothing you can do to make things better. □ They cannot stand the sight of each other, but they will just have to grin and bear it.
grind /gra I nd/ (grinds , grinding , ground )
1 VERB If you grind a substance such as corn, you crush it between two hard surfaces or with a machine until it becomes a fine powder. □ [V n] Store the peppercorns in an airtight container and grind the pepper as you need it. □ [V -ed] …the odor of fresh ground coffee. ● PHRASAL VERB Grind up means the same as grind . □ [V P n] He makes his own paint, grinding up the pigment with a little oil. [Also V n P ]
2 VERB If you grind something into a surface, you press and rub it hard into the surface using small circular or sideways movements. □ [V n prep] 'Well,' I said, grinding my cigarette nervously into the granite step. ● PHRASE If you grind your teeth , you rub your upper and lower teeth together as though you are chewing something. □ [V n] If you know you're grinding your teeth, particularly at night, see your dentist.
3 VERB If you grind something, you make it smooth or sharp by rubbing it against a hard surface. □ [V n] …a shop where they grind knives. □ [be V -ed + to ] The tip can be ground to a much sharper edge to cut smoother and faster. [Also V n to n]
4 VERB If a vehicle grinds somewhere, it moves there very slowly and noisily. □ [V adv/prep] Tanks had crossed the border at five fifteen and were grinding south.
5 N‑SING The grind of a machine is the harsh, scraping noise that it makes, usually because it is old or is working too hard. □ [+ of ] The grind of heavy machines could get on their nerves.
6 N‑SING [oft adj N ] If you refer to routine tasks or activities as the grind , you mean they are boring and take up a lot of time and effort. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ The daily grind of government is done by Her Majesty's Civil Service.
7 → see also grinding
8 PHRASE If a country's economy or something such as a process grinds to a halt , it gradually becomes slower or less active until it stops. □ The peace process has ground to a halt.
9 PHRASE If a vehicle grinds to a halt , it stops slowly and noisily. □ The tanks ground to a halt after a hundred yards because the fuel had been siphoned out.
10 to have an axe to grind → see axe
11 to come to a grinding halt → see grinding
▸ grind down PHRASAL VERB If you say that someone grinds you down , you mean that they treat you very harshly and cruelly, reducing your confidence or your will to resist them. □ [V n P ] There are people who want to humiliate you and grind you down.
▸ grind on PHRASAL VERB If you say that something grinds on , you disapprove of the fact that it continues to happen in the same way for a long time. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V P ] The war has been grinding on for years.
▸ grind up → see grind 1
grind|er /gra I ndə r / (grinders )
1 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] In a kitchen, a grinder is a device for crushing food such as coffee or meat into small pieces or into a powder. □ …an electric coffee grinder.
2 N‑COUNT A grinder is a machine or tool for sharpening, smoothing, or polishing the surface of something.
grind|ing /gra I nd I ŋ/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe a bad situation as grinding , you mean it never gets better, changes, or ends. □ Their grandfather had left his village in order to escape the grinding poverty. ● grind|ing|ly ADV [ADV adj] □ Nursing was ill-paid and grindingly hard work.
2 PHRASE If you say that something comes to a grinding halt , you are emphasizing that it stops very suddenly, especially before it was meant to. [EMPHASIS ] □ A car will come to a grinding halt if you put water in the petrol tank.
3 → see also grind
grind|stone /gra I ndstoʊn/ (grindstones ) N‑COUNT A grindstone is a large round stone that turns like a wheel and is used for sharpening knives and tools.
grin|go /gr I ŋgoʊ/ (gringos ) N‑COUNT Gringo is sometimes used by people from Latin America to refer to people from other countries, especially the United States and Britain. [OFFENSIVE ]
grip ◆◇◇ /gr I p/ (grips , gripping , gripped )
1 VERB If you grip something, you take hold of it with your hand and continue to hold it firmly. □ [V n] She gripped the rope.
2 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] A grip is a firm, strong hold on something. □ His strong hand eased the bag from her grip.
3 N‑SING Someone's grip on something is the power and control they have over it. □ [+ on ] The president maintains an iron grip on his country. □ [+ on ] The Labour leader last night tightened his grip on Labour MPs with new powers to root out trouble-makers.
4 VERB If something grips you, it affects you very strongly. □ [V n] The entire community has been gripped by fear.
5 VERB [usu passive] If you are gripped by something such as a story or a series of events, your attention is concentrated on it and held by it. □ [be V -ed] The nation is gripped by the dramatic story. ● grip|ping ADJ □ The film turned out to be a gripping thriller.