3 ADJ If you describe something as gross , you think it is very unpleasant. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ I spat them out because they tasted so gross. □ He wears really gross holiday outfits.
4 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you describe someone as gross , you mean that they are extremely fat and unattractive. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ I only resist things like chocolate if I feel really gross.
5 ADJ [ADJ n] Gross means the total amount of something, especially money, before any has been taken away. □ …a fixed rate account guaranteeing 10.4% gross interest or 7.8% net until October. ● ADV [ADV after v] Gross is also an adverb. □ Interest is paid gross, rather than having tax deducted. □ …a father earning £20,000 gross a year.
6 ADJ [ADJ n] Gross means the total amount of something, after all the relevant amounts have been added together. □ National Savings gross sales in June totalled £709 million.
7 ADJ [ADJ n] Gross means the total weight of something, including its container or wrapping.
8 VERB If a person or a business grosses a particular amount of money, they earn that amount of money before tax has been taken away. [BUSINESS ] □ [V n] So far the films have grossed more than £590 million.
9 NUM A gross is a group of 144 things. □ [+ of ] He ordered twelve gross of the disks. SYNONYMS gross ADJ 1
flagrant: The judge called the decision 'a flagrant violation of international law'.
glaring: I never saw such a glaring example of misrepresentation.
blatant: …a blatant attempt to spread the blame for the fiasco.
barefaced: …crooked politicians who tell bare-faced lies.
obvious: …the need to rectify what is an obvious injustice.
gro ss do|mes|tic pro d|uct (gross domestic products ) N‑VAR A country's gross domestic product is the total value of all the goods it has produced and the services it has provided in a particular year, not including its income from investments in other countries. [BUSINESS ]
gro ss na|tion|al pro d|uct (gross national products ) N‑VAR A country's gross national product is the total value of all the goods it has produced and the services it has provided in a particular year, including its income from investments in other countries. [BUSINESS ]
gro|tesque /groʊte sk/ (grotesques )
1 ADJ You say that something is grotesque when it is so unnatural, unpleasant, and exaggerated that it upsets or shocks you. □ …the grotesque disparities between the wealthy few and nearly everyone else. □ …a country where grotesque abuses are taking place. ● gro|tesque|ly ADV □ He called it the most grotesquely tragic experience that he's ever had.
2 ADJ If someone or something is grotesque , they are very ugly. □ They tried to avoid looking at his grotesque face and his crippled body. ● gro|tesque|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ …grotesquely deformed beggars.
3 N‑COUNT A grotesque is a person who is very ugly in a strange or unnatural way, especially one in a novel or painting. □ Grass's novels are peopled with outlandish characters: grotesques, clowns, scarecrows, dwarfs.
grot|to /grɒ toʊ/ (grottoes or grottos ) N‑COUNT A grotto is a small cave with interesting or attractively shaped rocks. □ Water trickles through an underground grotto.
grot|ty /grɒ ti/ (grottier , grottiest ) ADJ If you describe something as grotty , you mean that it is unpleasant or of poor quality and you dislike it strongly. [BRIT , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a grotty little flat in Camden.
grouch /graʊ tʃ/ (grouches )
1 N‑COUNT A grouch is someone who is always complaining in a bad-tempered way. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ He's an old grouch but she puts up with him.
2 N‑COUNT A grouch is a bad-tempered complaint. [INFORMAL ] □ One of the biggest grouches is the new system of payment.
grouchy /graʊ tʃi/ ADJ If someone is grouchy , they are very bad-tempered and complain a lot. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Your grandmother has nothing to stop her from being bored, grouchy and lonely.
ground ◆◆◆ /graʊ nd/ (grounds , grounding , grounded )
1 N‑SING The ground is the surface of the earth. □ Forty or fifty women were sitting cross-legged on the ground. □ We slid down the roof and dropped to the ground. ● PHRASE Something that is below ground is under the earth's surface or under a building. Something that is above ground is on top of the earth's surface. □ People were making for the air-raid shelters below ground.
2 N‑SING [oft N n] If you say that something takes place on the ground , you mean it takes place on the surface of the earth and not in the air. □ Coordinating airline traffic on the ground is as complicated as managing the traffic in the air.
3 N‑SING The ground is the soil and rock on the earth's surface. □ The ground had eroded. □ [+ of ] …the marshy ground of the river delta.
4 N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to land as ground , especially when it has very few buildings or when it is considered to be special in some way. □ …a stretch of waste ground. □ This memorial stands on sacred ground.
5 N‑COUNT You can use ground to refer to an area of land, sea, or air which is used for a particular activity. □ …Indian hunting grounds. □ The best fishing grounds are around the islands.
6 N‑COUNT A ground is an area of land which is specially designed and made for playing sport or for some other activity. In American English grounds is also used. □ …the city's football ground. □ …a parade ground.