verb / noun

grind

GRYND/ɡraɪnd/

To wear material down through repeated forceful rubbing.

The man grinds peppercorns into powder by rubbing the pestle against the mortar.

Close view of an older man grinding coarse peppercorns into powder with a stone mortar and pestle.

Etymology

grindOld Englishto rub together, crush into powder

Grindan already joined rubbing together with crushing into powder. The same friction can break material into particles or wear a surface smooth or sharp, connecting both aspects of the modern meaning.

In context

cookingguide0:26

grinding short spurts the goal is to grind the coffee down but you don't want it to become too thin you would like to see a few chunks here and there

Coffee Beans Grinding Guide

More examples

Years of clenching have ground her teeth down.
She is grinding the stone flat on one side.
The blade needs a quick grind to restore its edge.

Forms

grind · grinds · ground · grinding

grinder noun — A machine that smooths surfaces by abrasion.

Similar words

abrade: Emphasizes wearing a surface away through friction, not necessarily smoothing.
sand: Specifically uses sandpaper or abrasive grains to smooth surfaces.
file: Uses a ridged metal tool to remove small amounts.