grass

grass
—grassless, adj. —grasslike, adj. —grassward, grasswards, adv. adj.
/gras, grahs/, n.
1. any plant of the family Gramineae, having jointed stems, sheathing leaves, and seedlike grains. Cf. grass family.
2. such plants collectively, as when cultivated in lawns or used as pasture for grazing animals or cut and dried as hay.
3. the grass-covered ground.
4. pasture: Half the farm is grass.
5. Slang. marijuana.
6. grasses, stalks or sprays of grass: filled with dried grasses.
7. the season of the new growth of grass.
8. go to grass, to retire from one's occupation or profession: Many executives lack a sense of purpose after they have gone to grass.
9. let the grass grow under one's feet, to delay action, progress, etc.; become slack in one's efforts.
v.t.
10. to cover with grass or turf.
11. to feed with growing grass; pasture.
12. to lay (something) on the grass, as for the purpose of bleaching.
v.i.
13. to feed on growing grass; graze.
14. to produce grass; become covered with grass.
[bef. 900; ME gras, OE graes; c. D, G, ON, Goth gras; akin to GROW, GREEN]

* * *

I
Any of many low, green, nonwoody plants that make up the families Poaceae (or Gramineae), Cyperaceae (sedges), and Juncaceae (rushes).

Only the approximately 8,000–10,000 species in the family Poaceae are true grasses. They are the most economically important of all flowering plants because of their nutritious grains and soil-forming function, and they are the most widespread and most numerous of plants. The cereal grasses include wheat, corn, rice, rye, oats, barley, and millet. Grasses provide forage for grazing animals, shelter for wildlife, and construction materials, furniture, utensils, and food for humans. Some species are grown as garden ornamentals, cultivated as turf for lawns and recreational areas, or used as cover plants for erosion control. Most have hollow, segmented, round stems, bladelike leaves, and extensively branching fibrous root systems.
II
(as used in expressions)
Grass Günter Wilhelm

* * *

      any of many low, green, nonwoody plants belonging to the grass family (Poaceae or Gramineae), sedge family (Cyperaceae), and rush family (Juncaceae). There are many grasslike members of other flowering plant families, but only the approximately 10,000 species in the family Poaceae are true grasses.

      They are economically the most important of all flowering plants because of their nutritious grains and soil-forming function, and they also have the most widespread distribution and the largest number of individuals. Grasses provide forage for grazing animals, shelter for wildlife, construction materials, furniture, utensils, and food for man. Some species are grown as garden ornamentals, cultivated as turf for lawns and recreational areas, or used as cover plants for erosion control. Most grasses have round stems that are hollow between the joints, bladelike leaves, and extensively branching fibrous root systems. See also Poaceae.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Grass — Grass, n. [OE. gras, gres, gers, AS, gr[ae]s, g[ae]rs; akin to OFries. gres, gers, OS., D., G., Icel., & Goth. gras, Dan. gr[ae]s, Sw. gr[aum]s, and prob. to E. green, grow. Cf. {Graze}.] 1. Popularly: Herbage; the plants which constitute the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Grass — is the common word that generally describes monocotyledonous green plants. The family Gramineae (Poaceae) are the true grasses and include most plants grown as grains, for pasture, and for lawns (turf). They include some more specialised crops… …   Wikipedia

  • GRASS — GIS …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Grass — oder GRASS bezeichnet: Grass Island, eine zu Südgeorgien gehörige Insel Grass (Kartenspiel), ein Kartenspiel (11496) Grass, einen Asteroiden GRASS GIS, ein Geoinformationssystem Grass (Film), Grass – A Nation’s Battle for Life, Dokumentarfilm von …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • GRASS (G.) — «Enfin l’Allemagne a retrouvé un écrivain de stature internationale»: tel fut l’avis unanime de la critique lorsque parut en 1959 Le Tambour . C’était le premier roman d’un jeune auteur d’une trentaine d’années, connu et apprécié jusqu’alors… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Grass — 〈n.; ; unz.; Drogenszene〉 = Gras (4) [engl.] * * * Grass, das; [engl. grass, eigtl. = Gras, nach den getrockneten Pflanzenteilen] (Jargon): Marihuana. * * * Grạss,   Günter, Schriftsteller und Grafiker, * Danzig 16. 10. 1927; Sohn deutsch… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • grass — ► NOUN 1) vegetation consisting of short plants with long narrow leaves, growing wild or cultivated on lawns and pasture. 2) ground covered with grass. 3) informal cannabis. 4) Brit. informal a police informer. ► VERB 1) cover with grass. 2) …   English terms dictionary

  • grass — [gras, gräs] n. [ME gras < OE gærs, græs, akin to Ger gras < IE * ghrō , GROW] 1. any of various plants of the grass family that are usually used for food, fodder, or grazing and as lawns 2. any grasslike plant of various families having… …   English World dictionary

  • grass|y — «GRAS ee, GRAHS », adjective, grass|i|er, grass|i|est. 1. covered with grass; having much grass: »the grassy carpet of the meadow. 2. of or consisting of grass: »The ph …   Useful english dictionary

  • Grass — Grass, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Grassed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Grassing}.] 1. To cover with grass or with turf. [1913 Webster] 2. To expose, as flax, on the grass for bleaching, etc. [1913 Webster] 3. To bring to the grass or ground; to land; as, to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • grass — O.E. græs, gærs herb, plant, grass, from P.Gmc. grasan (Cf. O.N., O.S., Du., O.H.G., Ger., Goth. gras, Swed. gräs), from PIE *ghros young shoot, sprout, from root *ghre to grow, become green (related to GROW (Cf. grow) and GREEN (Cf …   Etymology dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”