New Words 219

grind, verb, /ɡraɪnd/, past tense and past participle ground /ɡraʊnd/

6 PERFORM A MOVEMENT to perform a special movement in skateboarding or rollerblading, which involves moving sideways along the edge of something, so that the bar connecting the wheels of the skateboard or rollerblade presses hard against the edge.

7 grind somebody  down (phrasal verb) to treat someone in a cruel way for such a long time that they lose all courage and hope SYN  oppress.

I’ve never let male colleagues grind me down.

8 grind on (phrasal verb) to continue for an unpleasantly long time.

As the negotiations grind on, time is passing towards the deadline.

grind, verb, /ɡraɪnd/, past tense and past participle ground /ɡraʊnd/

9 grind something  out (phrasal verb)

1) to produce information, writing, music etc in such large amounts that it becomes boring SYN  churn out.

Frank just keeps grinding out detective stories.

2 (written) to say something in a rough, angry, or emotional way.

‘You don’t love him,’ he ground out.

grind, noun, /ɡraɪnd/

1 something that is hard work and physically or mentally tiring.

I find the journey to work a real grind.

workers emerging from their daily grind in the factory.

2 (American English) a student who never does anything except study SYN swot (British English)

3 a movement in skateboarding or rollerblading, which involves moving sideways along the edge of something, so that the bar connecting the wheels of the skateboard or rollerblade presses hard against the edge.

clumsy, adjective, /'klʌmzi/

1 moving or doing things in a careless way, especially so that you drop things, knock into things etc.  careless.

A clumsy waiter spilled wine all over her new skirt.

a clumsy attempt to catch the ball

2 a clumsy object is not easy to use and is often large and heavy.

3 a clumsy action or statement is said or done carelessly or badly, and likely to upset someone.

David made a clumsy attempt to comfort us.