grass
gb/ɡɹˈæs/ us/ɡɹˈæs/
A1
English
~ 2200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
Short green plants covering ground
Short green plants that grow close together on the ground.
Usage pattern:
[grass] grows [somewhere]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'grass' with 'weed'; 'grass' is generally positive or neutral, while 'weed' is unwanted plants.
Synonyms
turf (Refers to grass-covered ground, often in sports or landscaping contexts.)
Antonyms
bare soil (Ground without any grass or vegetation.)
Collocations
cut grass
|tall grass
|green grass
|patch of grass
|wet grass
Themes
nature
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The children played on the soft grass.
- After the rain, the grass looked bright and fresh.
- We need to cut the grass this weekend.
- Cows were grazing on the grass in the field.
Learner examples
- The park has green grass.
- I sit on the grass.
- The grass is wet.
- We walk on the grass.
Noun
slang
B1
entity
2
Cannabis used as a drug
Slang word for marijuana, a drug made from a plant.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'grass' always means the green plant on the ground; in slang it can mean marijuana.
Synonyms
weed (Most common slang term for cannabis; slightly more informal than 'grass'.)
Antonyms
tobacco (A different plant product smoked for nicotine rather than intoxication.)
Collocations
smoke grass
|buy grass
|sell grass
Themes
drugs
|slang
|health
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He was arrested for selling grass.
- They smoked some grass at the party.
- Grass is illegal in some countries.
Learner examples
- He smokes grass.
- Grass is not legal here.
- They sell grass in the city.
Verb
slang
B2
action
3
Inform police about a crime
To tell the police about someone doing something illegal.
Usage pattern:
[someone] grasses [on someone]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with growing or planting grass; here it is slang for reporting someone to authorities.
Synonyms
inform (Neutral and formal; does not carry the slang connotation of betrayal.)
Antonyms
cover for (To protect someone by hiding their wrongdoing instead of reporting it.)
Collocations
grass on someone
|grass up someone
Themes
crime
|slang
|law
|communication
|daily_life
Examples
- He threatened to hurt anyone who tried to grass on him.
- She decided to grass up her former partner to avoid jail time.
- Nobody likes a person who grasses on their friends.
Learner examples
- He will grass on you.
- She grasses up her friend.
- They do not like people who grass.
Grammar
Dictionary form
grass
IPA
GB/ɡɹˈæs/
US/ɡɹˈæs/
Syllables & stress
grass (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (grass)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: grass
- Plural: grass, grasses
Verb
- Base: grass
- 3rd Person Singular: grasses
- Present Participle: grassing
- Past: grassed
Word family
Forms
grasses
noun
grassing
verb
grassed
verb
Core family
grassy
adjective A2
Related words
grassland
noun
grasshopper
noun
Expressions
let the grass grow under your feet
1/lˈɛt ðə ɡɹˈæs ɡɹˈoʊ ˈʌndɚ jˈʊɹ fˈit/
idiom
informal
Delay and waste time before acting
Do nothing and waste time instead of acting quickly.
Examples
- If you want that promotion, don't let the grass grow under your feet.
- We need to fix this problem—let's not let the grass grow under our feet.
not let the grass grow under one's feet
1/nˈɑt lˈɛt ðə ɡɹˈæs ɡɹˈoʊ ˈʌndɚ wˈʌnz fˈit/
idiom
Take action quickly without delay
To act fast and not waste any time.
Examples
- She didn't let the grass grow under her feet after graduation—she got a job immediately.
- We should not let the grass grow under our feet when it comes to safety issues.
snake in the grass
1/snˈeɪk ˈɪn ðə ɡɹˈæs/
idiom
Hidden but dangerous or disloyal person
Someone who seems kind or safe but will hurt, cheat, or betray you when you do not expect it.
Examples
- I thought he was my friend, but he turned out to be a snake in the grass.
- Watch out for her—she’s a snake in the grass.
- Watch her closely; there's a snake in the grass in this team.
- The politician called his rival a snake in the grass after the surprise attack.
the grass is always greener (on the other side)
1/ðə ɡɹˈæs ˈɪz ˈɔlwˌeɪz ɡɹˈinɚ ˈɔn ðə ˈʌðɚ sˈaɪd/
idiom
informal
thinking others' situations are better than yours
Thinking other people's lives are better than yours, even if they are not really better.
Examples
- He quit his job for another, but now he realizes the grass isn't always greener on the other side.
- She always thinks she'd be happier living somewhere else—the grass is always greener.
the grass is always greener (on the other side)
2/ðə ɡɹˈæs ˈɪz ˈɔlwˌeɪz ɡɹˈinɚ ˈɔn ðə ˈʌðɚ sˈaɪd/
idiom
Others' situations seem better than yours
This means people often think other people's lives are better than their own.
Examples
- He wishes he had a different job, but the grass is always greener on the other side.
- I thought moving abroad would be better, but I guess the grass isn't always greener.