n. - a fleshy usu. Large fruit with a hard skin. B climbing or trailing plant of the cucumber family bearing this.

- dried skin of the gourd-fruit, used as a drinking-vessel etc. [latin cucurbita]

—n. - attractiveness, esp. In elegance of proportion or manner or movement.

- courteous good will (had the grace to apologize).

- attractive feature; accomplishment (social graces).

- a (in christian belief) the unmerited favour of god. B state of receiving this.

- goodwill, favour.

- delay granted as a favour (a year's grace).

- short thanksgiving before or after a meal.

- (grace) (in greek mythology) each of three beautiful sister goddesses, bestowers of beauty and charm.

- (grace) (prec. By his, her, your) forms of description or address for a duke, duchess, or archbishop. —v. (-cing) (often foll. By with) add grace to; confer honour on (graced us with his presence). with good (or bad) grace as if willingly (or reluctantly). [latin gratia]

—n. - a certain degree in rank, merit, proficiency, etc. B class of persons or things of the same grade.

- mark indicating the quality of a student's work.

- us class in school.

- gradient, slope. —v. (-ding) 1 arrange in grades.

- (foll. By up, down, off, into, etc.) Pass gradually between grades, or into a grade.

- give a grade to (a student).

- reduce (a road etc.) To easy gradients. [latin gradus step]

—n. - bot. A shoot or scion inserted into a slit of stock, from which it receives sap. B place where a graft is inserted.

- surgery piece of living tissue, organ, etc., transplanted surgically.

- slang hard work. —v. - (often foll. By into, on, together, etc.) Insert (a scion) as a graft.

- transplant (living tissue).

- (foll. By in, on) insert or fix (a thing) permanently to another.

- slang work hard. [greek graphion stylus]

- colloq. —n. - practices, esp. Bribery, used to secure illicit gains in politics or business.

- such gains. —v. Seek or make such gains. [origin unknown]

n. (in full holy grail) (in medieval legend) cup or platter used by christ at the last supper. [medieval latin gradalis dish]

—n. - fruit or seed of a cereal.

- (collect.) Wheat or any allied grass used as food; corn.

- small hard particle of salt, sand, etc.

- unit of weight, 0.0648 gram.

- smallest possible quantity (not a grain of truth in it).

- roughness of surface.

- texture of skin, wood, stone, etc.

- a pattern of lines of fibre in wood or paper. B lamination in stone etc. —v. - paint in imitation of the grain of wood etc.

- give a granular surface to.

- form into grains. against the grain contrary to one's natural inclination or feeling. grainy adj. (-ier, -iest). [latin granum]

jury n. Esp. Us jury selected to examine the validity of an accusation prior to trial.

- mal n. Serious form of epilepsy with loss of consciousness. [french, = great sickness]

- master n. Chess-player of the highest class.

- national n. Steeplechase held annually at aintree, liverpool.

- opera n. Opera on a serious theme, or in which the entire libretto (including dialogue) is sung.

- piano n. Large full-toned piano with horizontal strings.

- prix n. Any of several important international motor or motor-cycle racing events. [french, = great or chief prize]

- slam n. - sport winning of all of a group of matches etc.

- bridge winning of 13 tricks.

- total n. Sum of other totals.

- tour n. Hist. Cultural tour of europe.

- —adj. - splendid, magnificent, imposing, dignified.

- main; of chief importance.

- (grand) of the highest rank (grand duke).

- colloq. Excellent, enjoyable.

- belonging to high society.

- (in comb.) (in names of family relationships) denoting the second degree of ascent or descent (granddaughter). —n. - = *grand piano.

- (pl. Same) (usu. In pl.) Esp. Us slang a thousand dollars or pounds. grandly adv. Grandness n. [latin grandis full-grown]

—v. - a consent to fulfil (a request etc.). B allow (a person) to have (a thing).

- give formally; transfer legally.

- (often foll. By that) admit as true; concede. —n. - process of granting.

- sum of money given by the state.

- legal conveyance by written instrument. take for granted 1 assume something to be true or valid.

- cease to appreciate through familiarity. grantor n. (esp. In sense 2 of v.). [french gr(e)anter var. Of creanter from latin credo entrust]

hyacinth n. Plant of the lily family with clusters of usu. Blue flowers.

- hyacinth n. Plant of the lily family with clusters of usu. Blue flowers.

- n. Berry (usu. Green, purple, or black) growing in clusters on a vine, used as fruit and in making wine. [french, probably from grappe hook]

comb. Form forming nouns and verbs meaning: 1 thing written or drawn etc. In a specified way (photograph).

- instrument that records (seismograph).

- comb. Form forming nouns and verbs meaning: 1 thing written or drawn etc. In a specified way (photograph).

- instrument that records (seismograph).

- paper n. Paper printed with a network of lines as a basis for drawing graphs.

- —n. Diagram showing the relation between variable quantities, usu. Of two variables, each measured along one of a pair of axes. —v. Plot or trace on a graph. [abbreviation of graphic formula]

- —n. Diagram showing the relation between variable quantities, usu. Of two variables, each measured along one of a pair of axes. —v. Plot or trace on a graph. [abbreviation of graphic formula]