grass

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Gardening, Plants, Drug culture, Crime

grass1 /ɡrɑːs $ ɡræs/ ●●● S2 W2 noun  1  in fields and gardens 在田野和花园里 a) [uncountable]DLGHBP a very common plant with thin leaves that covers the ground in fields and gardens and is often eaten by animals 草，青草 She enjoyed the feel of grass beneath her feet. 她喜欢踩在草上的感觉。 a blade of grass (=single leaf) 一片草叶 b) [countable]HBP a particular kind of grass 某种草 All grasses need light to grow well. 所有的草都需要光照才能生长得好。2  the grass an area of grass, especially an area where the grass is kept cut short 草地 I walked across the grass. 我走在草地上。 Keep off the grass. 请勿践踏草地。3. drug 毒品 [uncountable] informalMDD marijuana 大麻4. criminal 罪犯 [countable] British English informalSCCCRIME someone, usually a criminal, who gives information about other criminals to the police – used to show disapproval 告密者，通风报信者〔通常指向警方告发其他罪犯的人，含贬义〕 SYN informer, American English stoolpigeon → supergrass5. the grass is greener (on the other side) used to say that other places or situations seem better than yours, although they may not really be better 草是那边的绿〔用于表示别的地方或情况似乎比自己的好，虽然事实可能并非如此〕6. not let the grass grow under your feet SPEND TIMEto not waste time or delay starting something 不浪费时间，不耽误时间7. put somebody out to grass informalLEAVE A JOB OR ORGANIZATION to make someone leave their job because they are too old to do it effectively 使某人离职〔因某人年迈而不能有效工作〕 → grass roots, → snake in the grass at snake1(2)n COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2verbscut the grassThe grass in the back garden needs cutting.mow the grass (=cut it with a special machine)I usually mow the grass once a week.adjectivesgreenThe cows moved slowly through the long green grass.tall/longI walked with the tall grass brushing my knees.shortThese mowers only work efficiently on short grass.coarse (=consisting of thick and large pieces)The only vegetation was a few bushes and patches of coarse grass.damp/wetHis foot slipped on the wet grass and he fell.grass + NOUNgrass clippings/cuttings (=pieces of cut grass)You can use your grass clippings to start your own compost pile.grass stains (=marks on clothing caused by grass)It's going to be difficult to get the grass stains out of these trousers.grass seedNow is the best time to plant grass seed.grass verge British English (=area of grass next to a road)He stopped the car on the grass verge of the deserted road.phrasesa blade of grass (=a single piece of grass)A few blades of grass poked out of the dry earth.

Examples from the Corpus

grass• Grama grasses are what the fifty million buffalo ate.• Bulbs for naturalising in grass are usually sold in bulk, sometimes in mixtures.• I sat down in the long grass, puzzled to understand my weakness.• I wouldn't inform on you -- I'm no grass.• There was shorter grass up here, and the ground curved -.• Early next morning, before breakfast, they crossed the grass leaving a dark trail of foot prints in the dew.• Please keep off the grass.• Others were milling around on the grass to no apparent purpose.• wild grassesblade of grass• But every drop that fell contained the promise of another leaf, another blossom, another blade of grass in the spring.• Similar lumps had been spread there before, and showed as bleached-out mounds through which a few blades of grass grew.• There was not a breath of wind blowing, and not a leaf or blade of grass stirred.• They had stripped the lower forest of anything resembling a leaf or blade of grass.• And when he looked at the blades of grass he saw that they were only blades of grass.• The larvae of red worms crawl up the blades of grass and are eaten by horses.grass2 verb [intransitive]  1  (also grass somebody up) British English informalTALK TO somebody to tell the police about a criminal’s activities 向警方告发[告密]grass on Burton grassed on other prisoners. 伯顿告发了其他犯人。2.grass something ↔ over phrasal verb DLGto cover land with grass 在〔地〕上覆盖草皮→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

grass• You grassed on us to save your own life.• Apple trees require plenty of potash and nitrogen, especially if the area is grassed over.• I don't trust her -- what if she grasses us up?Origin grass Old English græs

grass1 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1grass2 verbLDOCE OnlineChinese  

a with Corpus plant common thin very

grass

I

grass¹ S2 W2 /ɡrɑːs $ ɡræs/ noun1.  IN FIELDS AND GARDENS
  a. [uncountable] a very common plant with thin leaves that covers the ground in fields and gardens and is often eaten by animals:
    She enjoyed the feel of grass beneath her feet.
    a blade of grass (=single leaf)
  b. [countable] a particular kind of grass:
    All grasses need light to grow well.
2. the grass an area of grass, especially an area where the grass is kept cut short:
    I walked across the grass.
    Keep off the grass.
3.  DRUG  [uncountable] informal marijuana
4.  CRIMINAL  [countable] British English informal someone, usually a criminal, who gives information about other criminals to the police – used to show disapproval
   SYN  informer, stoolpigeon American English ⇨ supergrass
5. the grass is greener (on the other side) used to say that other places or situations seem better than yours, although they may not really be better
6. not let the grass grow under your feet to not waste time or delay starting something
7. put somebody out to grass informal to make someone leave their job because they are too old to do it effectively
⇨ grass roots, ⇨ snake in the grass at snake¹(2)
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meanings 1 & 2)

■ verbs
   ▪ cut the grass The grass in the back garden needs cutting.
   ▪ mow the grass (=cut it with a special machine) I usually mow the grass once a week.
■ adjectives
   ▪ green The cows moved slowly through the long green grass.
   ▪ tall/long I walked with the tall grass brushing my knees.
   ▪ short These mowers only work efficiently on short grass.
   ▪ coarse (=consisting of thick and large pieces) The only vegetation was a few bushes and patches of coarse grass.
   ▪ damp/wet His foot slipped on the wet grass and he fell.
■ grass + NOUN
   ▪ grass clippings/cuttings (=pieces of cut grass) You can use your grass clippings to start your own compost pile.
   ▪ grass stains (=marks on clothing caused by grass) It's going to be difficult to get the grass stains out of these trousers.
   ▪ grass seed Now is the best time to plant grass seed.
   ▪ grass verge British English (=area of grass next to a road) He stopped the car on the grass verge of the deserted road.
■ phrases
   ▪ a blade of grass (=a single piece of grass) A few blades of grass poked out of the dry earth.

II

grass² verb [intransitive]
(also grass somebody up) British English informal to tell the police about a criminal’s activities
    grass on
    Burton grassed on other prisoners.
     
grass something ↔ over phrasal verb
  to cover land with grass

Grass
Grass, Günter
(1927– ) a German writer of novels and plays with strong moral ideas. His best known works include The Tin Drum (1959) and The Flounder (1978). He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1999. In 2006 he announced that he had been in the Waffen SS during World War II.