aground
pronunciation
How to pronounce aground in British English: UK [əˈgraʊnd]
How to pronounce aground in American English: US [əˈɡraʊnd]
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- Adjective:
- on a shore or reef
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- Adverb:
- with the bottom lodged on the ground
Word Origin
- aground (adv.)
- late 13c., "on the ground," from a- "on" (see a- (1)) + ground (n.). Of ships and boats, "stranded," from c. 1500.
Example
- 1. A cruise ship carrying 64 tourists to antarctica ran aground in high winds .
- 2. In the past even discretionary spending cuts ran aground when congressmen rallied to defend their favourite programmes .
- 3. Ferries ran aground , piers were smashed , thousands of cars were hit by falling boughs and 18 people died .
- 4. The navy is another target , for coral wrecked when the u.s.s. port royal ran aground .
- 5. What on earth did they think was going on when the ship went aground ?