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gravy
tall straight stems and flat blades: He hid behind some tall grasses. | There was an attractive arrangement of dried grasses in the vase. 4 [C] BrE derog slang someone, often a criminal, who informs the police about the (other) people concerned in a crime; INFORMER → see also SUPER-GRASS 5 [U] slang for MARIJUANA 6 let the grass grow under one's feet [usually in negatives] to delay action; waste time in inactivity: As soon as you approve it I'll get started – I'm not one to let the grass grow under my feet! 7 out to grass BrE out to pasture infml no longer working: Some of these old judges are nearly 80, you know; it's time they were put out to grass! 8 the grass is always greener (on the other side of the fence) saying something that you have not got always seems more attractive or exciting than the thing that you have got
grass v 1 [T(OVER)] to cover (land) with grass 2 [I(on)] BrE slang (especially of a criminal) to inform the police about the action of (other) criminals
grass-hop-per /'grɑ:s,hɒpə||'græs,hæ:/ n an insect which can jump high and makes a sharp noise by rubbing its legs against its body → see also knee-high to a grasshopper (KNEE-HIGH); see picture at INSECT
grass-land /'grɑ:slænd||'græs-/ n [U] also grasslands [P] a stretch of land covered mainly with grass, especially wild open land used for cattle to feed on
grass 'roots n [P] the ordinary people or ordinary members of a group, rather than the ones with power or special knowledge: Opinion at (the) grass roots (level) is sympathetic to the strikers. | Grass roots opinion is in favour of a strike.
grass snake n a non-poisonous snake found in many parts of Europe
grass 'widow, ,grass 'widower masc. — n sometimes humor a woman whose husband is away for a period of time
gras-sy /'grɑ:si||'græsi/ adj covered with growing grass
grate¹ /greɪt/ n the bars and frame which hold the coal, wood etc, in an old-fashioned fireplace
grate² v 1 [T] to rub (especially food) against a rough or sharp surface so as to break it into small pieces: grated cheese 2 [I(on)] to make a sharp sound, unpleasant to the hearer: The teacher's chalk grated on the blackboard. | His monotonous whistling grated on her nerves. → see also GRATING²
grate-ful /'greɪtfəl/ adj [(for, to)] feeling or showing thanks to another person: I was most grateful to John for bringing the books/for his kindness. | The rescuers deserve our grateful thanks. | [F+(that)] I'm grateful that you didn't tell my husband about this. | [F+to-v] We were grateful to get back on dry land after our rough boat trip. → opposite UNGRATEFUL —ly adv —ness n [U]
grat-er /'greɪtə/ n an instrument for grating things into small pieces, often one having or consisting of a metal surface full of sharp-edged holes: a cheese grater
grat-i-fy /'grætɪʃfaɪ/ v [T] fml 1 [often pass.] to give pleasure and satisfaction to: I was gratified/It gratified me to see how much my wedding present was appreciated. 2 to satisfy (a desire): Now she has a job in France she can gratify her desire to see Europe. —fication /ˌgrætɪʃ'fɪkeɪʃən/ n [C;U] His family's success was a great gratification to him in his old age.
grat-i-fy-ing /'grætɪʃfaɪ-ɪŋ/ adj giving pleasure and satisfaction: It is gratifying to see the widespread response to our charity appeal. —ly adv
grat-ing¹ /'greɪtɪŋ/ n a frame or network of bars, usually metal, to protect a hole or window: The rainwater ran along the gutter into a grating at the side of the road. (=one which covers a hole connecting with a water system)
grating² adj (of a noise or sound) sharp, hard, and unpleasant → see also GRATE² —ly adv
grat-is /'grætɪs, 'greɪtɪs/ adv, adj [F] free; (given) without payment
grat-i-tude /'grætɪtju:d||-tu:d/ n [U(to, for)] the state or feeling of being grateful; kind feelings towards someone who has been kind: She showed me her gratitude by inviting me to dinner. | We all owe a debt of gratitude to the local council, without whose help this event could not have been staged. → opposite INGRATITUDE
gra-tu-i-tous /grə'tju:ɪtəs||-'tu:-/ adj fml 1 derog not deserved or necessary: a gratuitous insult | an unpleasant film with a lot of gratuitous violence in it 2 rare done freely, without reward or payment being expected —ly adv —ness n [U]
gra-tu-i-ty /grə'tju:ɪti||-'tu:-/ n 1 fml a gift of money for a service done; TIP 2 especially BrE a gift of money to a worker or member of the armed forces when they leave their employment
grave¹ /greɪv/ n 1 [C] the place in the ground where a dead person is buried → compare TOMB 2 [the S] especially lit death: Is there life beyond the grave? | The state takes care of its people from the cradle to the grave. (=from birth to death) 3 turn in one's grave (of someone who is dead) to be very annoyed or worried if they were still alive: The way young people behave nowadays would make my grandfather turn in his grave. → see also dig one's own grave (DIG¹), have one foot in the grave (FOOT¹), silent as the grave (SILENT¹)
grave² adj 1 giving cause for worry and/or needing urgent attention; very serious: grave news | The situation poses a grave threat to peace. | a matter of grave concern 2 serious or solemn in manner: His face was grave as he told them about the accident. → see also GRAVITY —ly adv
grave³ /grɑ:v/ adj [A] (of an ACCENT put above a letter to show pronunciation) being the mark over è → compare ACUTE, CIRCUMFLEX
grav-el¹ /'grævəl/ n [U] small stones usually mixed with sand and used to make a surface for paths, roads etc: a gravel pit (=place where gravel is dug out of the ground)
gravel² v -ll- BrE || -l- AmE [T often pass.] to cover (a path or road) with gravel: a gravelled path
grav-el-ly /'grævəli/ adj 1 of, containing, or covered with gravel 2 having a low rough hard sound; GRATING: a gravelly voice
Graves, Rob-ert /greɪvz, 'rɒbət||'ra:bərt/ (1895-1985) a British poet and writer, best known for his novels set in ancient Roman times I, Claudius and Claudius the God, and for his description of his life as a soldier in World War I, Goodbye to All That
grave-stone /'greɪvstəʊn/ also tombstone n a stone put up over a grave bearing the name, dates of birth and death etc, of the dead person
grave-yard /'greɪvjɑ:d||-jɑ:rd/ n a piece of ground, sometimes around a church, where people are buried; a CEMETERY or CHURCHYARD: (fig.) The area had become a graveyard for old cars. (=a place where people left them) → compare CEMETERY, CHURCHYARD
'graveyard ,shift n AmE infml for NIGHT SHIFT
grav-i-tas /'grævɪtæs/ n [U] fml seriousness of manner which causes respect or trust
grav-i-tate /'grævɪteɪt/ v
gravitate to/towards sthg. phr v [T] 1 to be attracted by and move gradually towards: In the 19th century, industry gravitated towards the north of England. | from amateur tennis he eventually gravitated to the professional circuit. 2 to fall or be drawn towards something, under the influence of gravity: However often you mix it up in the water, the mud will gravitate towards the bottom again.
grav-i-ta-tion /ˌgræv'teɪʃən/ n [U] 1 {+to, towards} the process of gravitating towards something 2 GRAVITY —al adj: gravitational forces | They had entered the planet's gravitational field.
grav-i-ty /'grævɪti/ n [U] 1 the natural force by which objects are attracted to each other, especially that by which a large mass pulls a smaller one to it. It is one of the four FUNDAMENTAL FORCES of nature: Anything that is dropped falls towards the ground because of the force of gravity. → see also NEWTON 2 fml a) worrying importance: He doesn't seem to understand the gravity of the situation. b) seriousness of manner → see also GRAVE, CENTRE OF GRAVITY
gra-vure /grə'vjʊə/ n [U] the method of printing from copper or wooden plates on which a picture has been marked
gra-vy /'greɪvi/ n [U] 1 the juice which comes out of meat as it cooks, thickened with flour etc, to serve with meat and