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Grappling (?), n. 1. A laying fast ho1d of; also, that by which anything is seized and held, a grapnel.
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2. A grapple; a struggle. A match for yards in fight, in grappling for the bear. Dryden.
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Coloq. Grappling iron , a hooked iron used for grappling and holding fast a vessel or other object. -- Coloq. Grappling tongs , broad-mouthed tongs for gathering oysters.
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Grapsoid (?), a. [NL. Grapsus + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Pertaining to the genus Grapsus or the family . -- n. A grapsoid crab.
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Graptolite (?), n. [NL, Graptolithus, from Gr. � is engraved, written (grafein to write) + � stone.] (Paleon.) One of numerous species of slender and delicate fossils, of the genus Graptolites and allied genera, found in the Silurian rocks. They belong to an extinct group (Graptolithina) supposed to be hydroids.
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Graptolitic (?), a. Of or pertaining to graptolites; containing graptolites; as, a graptolitic slate.
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Grapy (?), a. Composed of, or resembling, grapes.
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The grapy clusters. Addison.
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Grasp (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Grasper (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Qraspine.] [OE. graspen; prob. akin to LG. grupsen, or to E. grope. Cf. , .] 1. To seize and hold by clasping or embracing with the fingers or arms; to catch to take possession of.
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Thy hand is made to grasp a palmer's staff. Shak.
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2. To lay hold of with the mind; to become thoroughly acquainted or conversant with; to comprehend.
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Grasp, v. i. To effect a grasp; to make the motion of grasping; to clutch; to struggle; to strive.
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As one that grasped And tugged for life and was by strength subdued. Shak.
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Coloq. To grasp at , to catch at; to try to seize; as, Alexander grasped at universal empire,
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Grasp, n. 1. A gripe or seizure of the hand; a seizure by embrace, or infolding in the arms. “The grasps of love.” Shak.
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2. Reach of the arms; hence, the power of seizing and holding; as, it was beyond his grasp.
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3. Forcible possession; hold.
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The whole space that's in the tyrant's grasp. Shak.
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4. Wide-reaching power of intellect to comprehend subjects and hold them under survey.
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The foremost minds of the next . . . era were not, in power of grasp, equal to their predecessors. Z. Taylor.
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5. The handle of a sword or of an oar.
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Graspable (?), a. Capable of being grasped.
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Grasper (?), n. One who grasps or seizes; one who catches or holds.
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Grasping, a. 1. Seizing; embracing; catching.
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2. Avaricious; greedy of gain; covetous; close; miserly; as, he is a grasping man. -- Graspingly, adv. -- Graspingness, n.
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Graspless, a. Without a grasp; relaxed.
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From my graspless hand Drop friendship's precious pearls. Coleridge.
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Grass (grȧs), n. [OE. gras, gres, gers, AS, græs, gærs; akin to OFries. gres, gers, OS., D., G., Icel., & Goth. gras, Dan. græs, Sw. gräs, and prob. to E. green, grow. Cf. .] 1. Popularly: Herbage; the plants which constitute the food of cattle and other beasts; pasture.
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2. (Bot.) An endogenous plant having simple leaves, a stem generally jointed and tubular, the husks or glumes in pairs, and the seed single.
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☞ This definition includes wheat, rye, oats, barley, etc., and excludes clover and some other plants which are commonly called by the name of grass. The grasses form a numerous family of plants.
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3. The season of fresh grass; spring. [Colloq.]
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Two years old next grass. Latham.
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4. Metaphorically used for what is transitory.
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Surely the people is grass. Is. xl. 7.
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5. Marijuana. [Slang]
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☞ The following list includes most of the grasses of the United States of special interest, except cereals. Many of these terms will be found with definitions in the Vocabulary. See Illustrations in Appendix.

Barnyard grass, for hay. South. Panicum Grus-galli.
Bent, pasture and hay. Agrostis, several species.
Bermuda grass, pasture. South. Cynodon Dactylon.
Black bent. Same as Switch grass (below).
Blue bent, hay. North and West. Andropogon provincialis.
Blue grass, pasture. Poa compressa.
Blue joint, hay. Northwest. Aqropyrum glaucum.
Buffalo grass, grazing. Rocky Mts., etc. (a) Buchloë dectyloides. (b) Same as Grama grass (below).
Bunch grass, grazing. Far West. Eriocoma, Festuca, Stips, etc.
Chess, or Cheat, a weed. Bromus secalinus, etc.
Couch grass. Same as Quick grass (below).
Crab grass, (a) Hay, in South. A weed, in North. Panicum sanguinale. (b) Pasture and hay. South. Eleusine Indica.
Darnel (a) Bearded, a noxious weed. Lolium temulentum. (b) Common. Same as Rye grass (below).
Drop seed, fair for forage and hay. Muhlenbergia, several species.
English grass. Same as Redtop (below).
Fowl meadow grass. (a) Pasture and hay. Poa serotina. (b) Hay, on moist land. Gryceria nervata.
Gama grass, cut fodder. South. Tripsacum dactyloides.
Grama grass, grazing. West and Pacific slope. Bouteloua oligostachya, etc.
Great bunch grass, pasture and hay. Far West. Festuca scabrella.
Guinea grass, hay. South. Panicum jumentorum.
Herd's grass, in New England Timothy, in Pennsylvania and South Redtop.
Indian grass. Same as Wood grass (below).
Italian rye grass, forage and hay. Lolium Italicum.
Johnson grass, grazing and hay. South and Southwest. Sorghum Halepense.
Kentucky blue grass, pasture. Poa pratensis.
Lyme grass, coarse hay. South. Elymus, several species.
Manna grass, pasture and hay. Glyceria, several species.
Meadow fescue, pasture and hay. Festuca elatior.
Meadow foxtail, pasture, hay, lawn. North. Alopecurus pratensis.
Meadow grass, pasture, hay, lawn. Poa, several species.
Mesquite grass, or Muskit grass. Same as Grama grass (above).
Nimble Will, a kind of drop seed. Muhlenbergia diffsa.
Orchard grass, pasture and hay. Dactylis glomerata.
Porcupine grass, troublesome to sheep. Northwest. Stipa spartea.
Quaking grass, ornamental. Briza media and maxima.
Quitch, or Quick, grass, etc., a weed. Agropyrum repens.
Ray grass. Same as Rye grass (below).
Redtop, pasture and hay. Agrostis vulgaris.
Red-topped buffalo grass, forage. Northwest. Poa tenuifolia.
Reed canary grass, of slight value. Phalaris arundinacea.
Reed meadow grass, hay. North. Glyceria aquatica.
Ribbon grass, a striped leaved form of Reed canary grass.
Rye grass, pasture, hay. Lolium perenne, var.
Seneca grass, fragrant basket work, etc. North. Hierochloa borealis.
Sesame grass. Same as Gama grass (above).
Sheep's fescue, sheep pasture, native in Northern Europe and Asia. Festuca ovina.
Small reed grass, meadow pasture and hay. North. Deyeuxia Canadensis.
Spear grass, Same as Meadow grass (above).
Squirrel-tail grass, troublesome to animals. Seacoast and Northwest. Hordeum jubatum.
Switch grass, hay, cut young. Panicum virgatum.
Timothy, cut young, the best of hay. North. Phleum pratense.
Velvet grass, hay on poor soil. South. Holcus lanatus.
Vernal grass, pasture, hay, lawn. Anthoxanthum odoratum.
Wire grass, valuable in pastures. Poa compressa.
Wood grass, Indian grass, hay. Chrysopogon nutans.
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☞ Many plants are popularly called grasses which are not true grasses botanically considered, such as black grass, goose grass, star grass, etc.
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Coloq. Black grass , a kind of small rush (Juncus Gerardi), growing in salt marshes, used for making salt hay. -- Coloq. Grass of the Andes , an oat grass, the Arrhenatherum avenaceum of Europe.-- Coloq. Grass of Parnassus , a plant of the genus Parnassia growing in wet ground. The European species is Parnassia palustris; in the United States there are several species. -- Coloq. Grass bass (Zoöl.), the calico bass. -- Coloq. Grass bird , the dunlin. -- Coloq. Grass cloth , a cloth woven from the tough fibers of the grass-cloth plant. -- Coloq. Grass-cloth plant , a perennial herb of the Nettle family (Bœhmeria nivea syn. Urtica nivea), which grows in Sumatra, China, and Assam, whose inner bark has fine and strong fibers suited for textile purposes. -- Coloq. Grass finch . (Zoöl.) (a) A common American sparrow (Poöcætes gramineus); -- called also vesper sparrow and bay-winged bunting. (b) Any Australian finch, of the genus Poëphila, of which several species are known. -- Coloq. Grass lamb , a lamb suckled by a dam running on pasture land and giving rich milk.-- Coloq. Grass land , land kept in grass and not tilled. -- Coloq. Grass moth (Zoöl.), one of many small moths of the genus Crambus, found in grass. -- Coloq. Grass oil , a fragrant essential volatile oil, obtained in India from grasses of the genus Andropogon, etc.; -- used in perfumery under the name of citronella, ginger grass oil, lemon grass oil, essence of verbena etc. -- Coloq. Grass owl (Zoöl.), a South African owl (Strix Capensis). -- Coloq. Grass parrakeet (Zoöl.), any of several species of Australian parrots, of the genus Euphemia; -- also applied to the zebra parrakeet. -- Coloq. Grass plover (Zoöl.), the upland or field plover. -- Coloq. Grass poly (Bot.), a species of willowwort (Lythrum Hyssopifolia). Johnson. -- Coloq. Crass quit (Zoöl.), one of several tropical American finches of the genus Euetheia. The males have most of the head and chest black and often marked with yellow. -- Coloq. Grass snake . (Zoöl.) (a) The common English, or ringed, snake (Tropidonotus natrix). (b) The common green snake of the Northern United States. See Green snake, under . -- Coloq. Grass snipe (Zoöl.), the pectoral sandpiper (Tringa maculata); -- called also jacksnipe in America. -- Coloq. Grass spider (Zoöl.), a common spider (Agelena nævia), which spins flat webs on grass, conspicuous when covered with dew. -- Coloq. Grass sponge (Zoöl.), an inferior kind of commercial sponge from Florida and the Bahamas. -- Coloq. Grass table . (Arch.) See Earth table, under . -- Coloq. Grass vetch (Bot.), a vetch (Lathyrus Nissolia), with narrow grasslike leaves. -- Coloq. Grass widow . [Cf. Prov. R. an unmarried mother, G. strohwittwe a mock widow, Sw. gräsenka a grass widow.] (a) An unmarried woman who is a mother. [Obs.] (b) A woman separated from her husband by abandonment or prolonged absence; a woman living apart from her husband. [Slang.] -- Coloq. Grass wrack (Bot.) eelgrass. -- Coloq. To bring to grass (Mining.), to raise, as ore, to the surface of the ground. -- Coloq. To put to grass , Coloq. To put out to grass , to put out to graze a season, as cattle.
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Grass (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Grassed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Grassing.] 1. To cover with grass or with turf.
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2. To expose, as flax, on the grass for bleaching, etc.
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3. To bring to the grass or ground; to land; as, to grass a fish. [Colloq.]
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Grass (?), v. i. To produce grass. [R.] Tusser.
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Grassation (?), n. [L. grassatio, from grassari to go about.] A wandering about with evil intentions; a rioting. [Obs. & R.] Feltham.
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grassfinch n. Any of several usually brightly-colored Australian weaverbirds; they are often kept as cage birds.
Syn. -- grass finch.
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grassfire n. An uncontrolled fire in a grassy area.
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Grass-green (?), a. 1. Green with grass.
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2. Of the color of grass; clear and vivid green.
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Grass-grown (?), a. Overgrown with grass; as, a grass-grown road.
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Grasshopper (?), n. 1. (Zoöl.) Any jumping, orthopterous insect, of the families Acrididæ and Locustidæ, having large hind legs adapted for leaping, and chewing mouth parts. The species and genera are very numerous and some are very destructive to crops. The former family includes the Western grasshopper or locust (Caloptenus spretus), noted for the great extent of its ravages in the region beyond the Mississippi. In the Eastern United States the red-legged (Caloptenus femurrubrum and C. atlanis) are closely related species, but their ravages are less important. They are closely related to the migratory locusts of the Old World. See .
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☞ The meadow or green grasshoppers belong to the Locustidæ. They have long antennæ, large ovipositors, and stridulating organs at the base of the wings in the male. The European great green grasshopper (Locusta viridissima) belongs to this family. The common American green species mostly belong to Xiphidium, Orchelimum, and Conocephalus.
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2. In ordinary square or upright pianos of London make, the escapement lever or jack, so made that it can be taken out and replaced with the key; -- called also the hopper. Grove.
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3. (Mil.) An antipersonnel mine that jumps from the ground to body height when activated, and explodes, hurling metal fragments over a wide area.
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4. A mixed alcoholic beverage containing crème de menthe, light cream, and sometimes crème de cacao. The name comes from its light green color.
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Coloq. Grasshopper engine , a steam engine having a working beam with its fulcrum at one end, the steam cylinder at the other end, and the connecting rod at an intermediate point. -- Coloq. Grasshopper lobster (Zoöl.) a young lobster. [Local, U. S.] -- Coloq. Grasshopper warbler (Zoöl.), cricket bird.
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Grassiness (?), n. [From Grassy.] The state of abounding with grass; a grassy state.
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Grassless, a. Destitute of grass.
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grass-of-Parnassus n. Any of various usually evergreen bog plants of the genus Parnassia having broad smooth basal leaves and a single pale buttercuplike flower.
Syn. -- parnassia, grass of Parnassus.
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Grassplot (?), n. A plot or space covered with grass; a lawn. “Here on this grassplot.” Shak.
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Grass tree (?). (Bot.) (a) An Australian plant of the genus Xanthorrhœa, having a thick trunk crowned with a dense tuft of pendulous, grasslike leaves, from the center of which arises a long stem, bearing at its summit a dense flower spike looking somewhat like a large cat-tail. These plants are often called “blackboys” from the large trunks denuded and blackened by fire. They yield two kinds of fragrant resin, called Botany-bay gum, and Gum Acaroides. (b) A similar Australian plant (Kingia australis).
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Grassy (?) a. 1. Covered with grass; abounding with grass; as, a grassy lawn. Spenser.
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2. Resembling grass; green.
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Grate (?), a. [L. gratus agreeable, grateful: cf. It. & Sp. grato. See Grace, and cf. Agree.] Serving to gratify; agreeable. [Obs.] Sir T. Herbert.
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Grate, n. [LL. grata, fr. L. crates hurdle; or It. grata, of the same origin. Sae Crate, Hurdle.] 1. A structure or frame containing parallel or crosed bars, with interstices; a kind of latticework, such as is used ia the windows of prisons and cloisters. “A secret grate of iron bars.” Shak.
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2. A frame or bed, or kind of basket, of iron bars, for holding fuel while burning.
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Coloq. Grate surface (Steam, Boiler) the area of the surface of the grate upon which the fuel lies in the furnace.
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Grate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Grated; p. pr. & vb. n. Grating.] To furnish with grates; to protect with a grating or crossbars; as, to grate a window.
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Grate, v. t. [OF grater to scrape, scratch, F. gratter, LL. gratare, cratare; of German origin; cf. OHG. chrazzōn G. kratzen, D. krassen, Sw. Kratta, and perh. E. scratch.] 1. To rub roughly or harshly, as one body against another, causing a harsh sound; as, to grate the teeth; to produce (a harsh sound) by rubbing.
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On their hinges grate
Harsh thunder. Milton.
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2. To reduce to small particles by rubbing with anything rough or indented; as, to grate a nutmeg.
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3. To fret; to irritate; to offend.
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News, my good lord Rome . . . grates me. Shak.
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Grate, v. i. 1. To make a harsh sound by friction.
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I had rather hear a brazen canstick turned,
Or a dry wheel grate on the exletree. Shak.
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2. To produce the effect of rubbing with a hard rough material; to cause wearing, tearing, or bruising. Hence; To produce exasperation, soreness, or grief; to offend by oppression or importunity.
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This grated harder upon the hearts of men. South.
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