secondary school with an academically oriented program: I hate the thought that friends will get split up because some will go to a grammar school and others won’t. grammar school (U.S.)—(now rare) elementary school: Ele- mentary school, also known as grammar school , is a school of kindergarten through fifth grade (sometimes the first eight grades), where basic subjects are taught. grandame • grande dame grandame —(dated) a grandmother or a woman who is no longer young (also: grandam): The sergeant, handing his mus- ket to a comrade, rushed in and attempted to seize the rebel- lious grandame by the waist. grande dame —a socially important, usually elderly, woman who is well known or highly esteemed: To her customers and culinary followers Madame Kuony was the grande dame of classic French cooking. Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with the phrase grand old lady1. = grande dame: When the 1960s social revolution rolled round, Dorothy was hailed as the “grand old lady of pacifism.” 2. used of a house, a ship, etc. that are old, antique, or worthwhile restoring for posterity: This grand old lady of sailing ship days rests in Port Vila Harbor. grant concessions • make concessions grant concessions—give special rights or privileges to a busi- ness organization: Albania will grant concessions to two inter- national oil groups this month to search for oil. make concessions—come to a compromise (in order to end an argument, conflict, etc.): The Prime Minister had been urged to make concessions by the Irish government. grasp at something • grasp something grasp at something—1. try to seize smth.; grab at smth.: As Timmy grasped at the branch, the last ounce of energy was depleted from his small arms. 2. accept smth. (such as an offer, proposal, etc.) most eagerly: Neoconservative politicians have readily grasped at the opportunity. grasp something—1. seize and hold smth. firmly with the hand: Grasping the leaves of the plant firmly, pull the whole plant up out of the ground. 2. comprehend smth.: Kitty only imperfectly grasped the rudiments of the science. grease spot • greasy spot grease spot—a disease of turf grasses caused by a fungus: Pythium blight, also known as grease spot , kills turf in small, roughly circular spots (2 to 6 inches) that tend to run together. greasy spot—a disease of citrus trees producing dark oily spots on the leaves: Greasy spot is a fungus disease that attacks all varieties of citrus grown in Florida. grease the wheels • squeaky wheel gets the grease, the grease the wheels—make progress easier: Those you interact with will know how to grease the wheels of commerce and get things done. squeaky wheel gets the grease, the(saying ) the person who complains loudest and longest gets service or attention: It seems that the “squeaky wheel gets the grease ”—the students who complain loudest get the rules bent for them. great at something • great in something • great with something great at something—highly proficient in an activity: She is great at making up dishes and experiments all the time. great in something—excelling in a subject: She is great in math. She has a wonderful teacher that truly cares… great with something—very skilful in the use of tools, etc.: John is great with a bit of crayon. Great Britain • Greater Britain Great Britain—1. the island comprising England, Wales, and Scotland: Great Britain is separated from the mainland by the English Channel and from Ireland by the Irish Sea. 2. (also: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the) the British state as a whole comprising Great Britain and Northern Ireland: She has lived in Great Britain for so long now that English has become her second language. Note: The name British Isles, the is a geographical term (not a political one) for the islands comprising Great Britain and Ire- land with all their offshore islands: The British Isles has a rich diversity of folklore, stemming in part from the mix of cultural identity from region to region. Greater Britain(hist.) Great Britain and the colonies; the British Empire: But was there not an entente which must be the great ideal of every Briton—the entente cordiale between Great and Greater Britain ? Great Lakes State, the • Land of 10,000 Lakes, the Great Lakes State, the—(U.S., also: Great Lake State, the) a nickname of the state of Michigan: Baker has brought the story of Michigan mammals up-to-date, and this work will become the standard reference to the mammals of the Great Lakes State . Land of 10,000 Lakes, the —(U.S.) a nickname of the state of Minnesota: The “Land of 1 0,000 Lakes ,” Minnesota got its nickname because there are more than 12,000 lakes throughout the state. Great Magician of the North, the • Magician of the North, the Great Magician of the North, the—(also: Wizard of the North, the) a name given to Sir Walter Scott (1771 1832), a Scottish historical novelist: Some of stories in respect to variety and length, might safely aspire to a place beside the Great Magician of the North , Sir Walter Scott. Magician of the North, the—a name given to Johann Georg Hamann (1730–1788), a German philosopher and theologian: We may pass directly from Rousseau to Kant, who was largely inspired by … the somewhat mysterious personality of the “Magician of the North .” great world, the • greater world, the great world, the—1. aristocratic society: Thackeray says he is getting tired of being witty, and of the great world . 2. the outside world not limited to one’s inner circle: The novelist proper studies to represent his little world as the great world is; whereas the romance-writer builds an ideal world. 3. the universe as a whole: These values exist within yourself as they exist in the great world , and you are a microcosmic model of the entire macrocosm. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase wide world, the1. the whole world: Of all people in the wide world his cousin was the most unyielding to argu- ment. 2. is used to imply contrast to one’s own home or country: A few years in the wide world and then back to the home pad- dock. greater world, the— = great world, the 3: Essential to most theories was the analogy between microcosm and macro- cosm, between the world of man and the greater world around him. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase world without end—for ever and ever; eternally: They wrote alternately, Bowman supplying the installment for one week, his friend for the next, and so on, world without end , they hoped. See also: little world / small world. grandame – 156 –