<B>grass-widowed, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> living apart from one's husband. </DL>
<A NAME="grasswidower">
<B>grass widower,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a man divorced or separated from his wife. </DL>
<A NAME="grassworm">
<B>grassworm, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the larva of a night-flying moth that occurs in great numbers, damaging cereal crops and pastures. </DL>
<A NAME="grassy">
<B>grassy, </B>adjective, <B>grassier,</B> <B>grassiest.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>covered with grass; having much grass. <BR> <I>Ex. the grassy carpet of the meadow.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>of or consisting of grass. <BR> <I>Ex. The pheasant builds a grassy nest.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>like grass. <BR> <I>Ex. The grassy appearance of the spruce and other long pine needles.</I> (SYN) verdant. <DD><B> 4. </B><B>=grass-green.</B> noun <B>grassiness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="grassybuttercup">
<B>grassy buttercup,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a buttercup with long, grasslike leaves and bright yellow flowers that grows between six and twelve inches high. </DL>
<B>grassy sorghum,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a variety of sorghum, such as Sudan grass and Johnson grass, used especially as cattle feed or hay. </DL>
<A NAME="grat">
<B>grat.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> gratis. </DL>
<A NAME="grate">
<B>grate</B> (1), noun, verb, <B>grated,</B> <B>grating.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a framework of iron bars to hold burning fuel in a furnace or fireplace. <BR> <I>Ex. Many of the small hot coals fell through the grate.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B><B>=fireplace.</B> <DD><B> 3. </B>a framework of bars over a window or opening; grating. <BR> <I>Ex. Each basement window of the store had a grate over it to protect the glass.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>(Mining.) a screen used for separating or grading ore. <DD><B> 5. </B>(Obsolete.) a cage for animals or human beings; prison. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to furnish with iron bars. <BR> <I>Ex. The windows were strongly grated.</I> adj. <B>gratelike.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="grate">
<B>grate</B> (2), verb, <B>grated,</B> <B>grating,</B> noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to have an annoying or unpleasant effect. <BR> <I>Ex. His rude manners and loud voice grate on me.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to make a harsh, jarring noise by rubbing; sound harshly. <BR> <I>Ex. The door grated on its old, rusty hinges.</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to wear down or grind off in small pieces. <BR> <I>Ex. The cook grated the cheese before melting it.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to rub harshly together. <BR> <I>Ex. to grate the teeth.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>to make a grinding sound against; sound harshly against. <BR> <I>Ex. A boat grates the shore.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>(Figurative.) to fret; annoy; irritate. <BR> <I>Ex. Grating so harshly all his days of quiet With turbulent and dangerous lunacy (Shakespeare).</I> (SYN) nettle. <DD><B> 5. </B>to produce by rough friction. <BR> <I>Ex. Open fly ... The infernal doors, and on their hinges grate Harsh thunder (Milton).</I> <DD><B> 6. </B>(Obsolete.) to scrape, file, or abrade. <DD><I>noun </I> a harsh, grinding noise. <BR> <I>Ex. the grate of old, rusty hinges.</I> noun <B>grater.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="grateful">
<B>grateful, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>feeling kindly because of a favor received; wanting to do a favor in return; thankful. <BR> <I>Ex. I am grateful for your help.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>pleasing; welcome. <BR> <I>Ex. A breeze is grateful on a hot day, a fire on a cold one.</I> adv. <B>gratefully.</B> noun <B>gratefulness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="graticulate">
<B>graticulate, </B>transitive verb, <B>-lated,</B> <B>-lating.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to divide (a plan or design) into squares in order to make an accurate enlargement or reduction. </DL>
<A NAME="graticule">
<B>graticule, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1a. </B>a design or plan divided into squares to facilitate copying. <DD><B> b. </B>the network of lines or curves representing meridians and parallels on a map or chart. <DD><B> 2a. </B>a measuring scale in the eyepiece of a telescope, microscope, or other optical instrument, for the location of objects in the field of view. <DD><B> b. </B>the glass disk or plate bearing this scale. </DL>
<A NAME="gratification">
<B>gratification, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the act or process of gratifying; satisfaction. <BR> <I>Ex. The gratification of every wish of every person is not possible.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the condition of being gratified. <BR> <I>Ex. In youth one's body is the perfect valet--obedient, unobtrusive, instantly responsive, a perpetual source of gratification (S. N. Behrman).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>something that pleases or satisfies. <BR> <I>Ex. His success was a great gratification to his parents.</I> (SYN) pleasure, delight. <DD><B> 4. </B>(Archaic.) a reward; fee. </DL>
<A NAME="gratify">
<B>gratify, </B>transitive verb, <B>-fied,</B> <B>-fying.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>to give pleasure to; please. <BR> <I>Ex. Praise gratifies most people.</I> (SYN) delight. <DD><B> 2. </B>to give satisfaction to; satisfy; indulge. <BR> <I>Ex. to gratify one's hunger with a large meal. A drunkard gratifies his craving for liquor.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Archaic.) to give a fee to. <BR> <I>Ex. to gratify his noble service (Shakespeare).</I> noun <B>gratifier.</B> adv. <B>gratifyingly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="gratin">
<B>gratin, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the topping of crumbs, grated cheese, or both, or a thick cream sauce, on a dish cooked <I>au gratin.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a dish cooked with this topping. </DL>
<A NAME="gratinate">
<B>gratinate, </B>transitive verb, <B>-nated,</B> <B>-nating.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> to cook (a dish) with a topping of crumbs, grated cheese, or thick cream sauce. </DL>
<A NAME="grating">
<B>grating</B> (1), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a framework of bars over a window or opening; grate. Windows in a prison, bank, or ticket office usually having gratings over them. (SYN) grille. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Physics.) <B>=diffraction grating.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="grating">
<B>grating</B> (2), adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>irritating; unpleasant; annoying. <BR> <I>Ex. a grating manner.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>harsh or jarring in sound. <BR> <I>Ex. the grating sound of garbage cans being dragged across the sidewalk.</I> adv. <B>gratingly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="gratis">
<B>gratis, </B>adverb, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> for nothing; free of charge. <BR> <I>Ex. The club provided the service gratis (adv.). The service was gratis to club members (adj.).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="gratitude">
<B>gratitude, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a kindly feeling because of a favor received; desire to do a favor in return; thankfulness. <BR> <I>Ex. Gratitude for God's forgiveness is empty save as accompanied by sympathy, understanding, and patience in all one's dealings with others (London Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="gratuitous">
<B>gratuitous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>freely given or obtained; free. <BR> <I>Ex. a gratuitous gift. We ... mistake the gratuitous blessings of Heaven for the fruits of our own industry (Roger L'Estrange).</I> (SYN) voluntary, spontaneous. <DD><B> 2. </B>without reason or cause; unnecessary; uncalled-for. <BR> <I>Ex. a gratuitous insult. He has indulged in gratuitous suppositions (Henry James).</I> (SYN) unwarranted, unjustifiable. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Law.) (of a contract, deed, or other obligation) made or granted without any value being given in return. <DD><B> 4. </B>(Economics.) freely given by nature, not produced by man. <BR> <I>Ex. a gratuitous good.</I> adv. <B>gratuitously.</B> noun <B>gratuitousness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="gratuitousact">
<B>gratuitous act,</B> =acte gratuit.</DL>
<A NAME="gratuity">
<B>gratuity, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ties.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a present of money in return for services; tip. Gratuities are given to waiters, porters, or servants. <BR> <I>Ex. [He] dismissed the postboys with a handsome gratuity (Frederick Marryat).</I> (SYN) fee. <DD><B> 2. </B>a present; gift. <BR> <I>Ex. I had a small gratuity above my wages (Samuel Johnson).</I> (SYN) bounty. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Especially British.) a payment given to soldiers on reenlistment, discharge, or retirement. </DL>
<B>Graustark, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a very romantic place or condition. <BR> <I>Ex. [The director] has managed to provide an amalgam of Harvard and Graustark--an enchanted campus where all the people look like movie stars (Time).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="graustarkian">
<B>Graustarkian, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or like Graustark; highly or excessively romantic. <BR> <I>Ex. In the Strauss operettas ... the emphasis is on romance, tradition, the never-never land of Graustarkian nostalgia (Harper's).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="gravamen">
<B>gravamen, </B>noun, pl. <B>-vamina.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a grievance. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Law.) the burden or essential part of a charge or complaint. </DL>
