ADJ
- firm, hard
- muddy, soft, wet
- dry, dusty
- fertile (often figurative)
- The fall of the old regime provided fertile ground for opportunism
VERB + GROUND
- fall to, hit
- The helicopter burst into flames when it hit the ground
- reach
- She's so short, her feet don't reach the ground when she sits down
- get off, leave
- The plane was so overloaded it couldn't leave the ground. (figurative) His plan is too costly to ever get off the ground
GROUND + NOUN
- level
- A waterproof membrane is built into the wall just above ground level
PREP
- above/below ~
- The roots may spread as far below ground as does the foliage above ground
- in the ~
- a hole in the ground
- on the ~
- He sat down on the ground
- under the ~
- The tunnel goes deep under the ground
ADJ
- high, low
- The village stands on high ground and is not prone to flooding
- open
- difficult, rocky, rough, stony, uneven
- marshy
QUANT
- patch, piece
- We found a patch of open ground in the middle of the woods
ADJ
- burial
- dumping
- cricket, football, practice, rugby, sports, training
- parade
- breeding, feeding, hunting
PREP
- at a/the ~
- I'll meet you at the football ground
- in a/the ~
- all the graves in the burial ground
ADJ
- extensive
- castle, hospital, palace, school, etc.
VERB + GROUND
- be set in, have
- The palace is set in extensive grounds
PREP
- in the ~ (of)
- Many estate workers lived in cottages in the grounds of the castle
ADJ
- familiar, firm, home
- I was on more familiar ground now that we were talking about our own system
- dangerous, shaky
- Legally, we're on very shaky ground (= our actions may not be legal)
- safe
- common
- Both parties in the debate shared some common ground
VERB + GROUND
- cover, go over
- Several researchers have published articles covering this ground. We just seem to be going over the same ground that we covered last year
PREP
- on … ~
- He knew he was on dangerous ground talking about money
PHRASES
- break new ground
- Her architectural designs have broken new ground
ADJ
- good, reasonable, sufficient, valid
VERB + GROUND
- have
- The constable had reasonable grounds for arresting her
- give (sb)
- His evasiveness gave grounds for the suspicion that he knew more than he was saying
PREP
- on … ~s
- Permission to open a mine was denied on environmental grounds
- on the ~s of
- He resigned from his post on the grounds of ill-health
- ~ for
- Drunkenness at work was sufficient grounds for instant dismissal