grind down
(redirected from ground something down)grind down
1. To reduce something or cause it to become more even by grinding. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "grind" and "down." The landscaper ground the tree stump down. Can you please grind down this uneven spot in the floor?
2. To start moving more slowly, as of a machine. Don't touch the machine until it grinds down to a stop.
3. To cause someone to become weary or disillusioned, as by frequently pestering them. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "grind" and "down." You're going to grind your employees down if you question every little thing they do.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
grind someone down
Fig. to wear someone down by constant requests; to wear someone down by constant nagging. If you think you can grind me down by bothering me all the time, you are wrong. The constant nagging ground down the employees at last.
grind something down
to make something smooth or even by grinding. Grind this down to make it smooth. Please grind down this rough spot.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
grind down
v.
1. To cause wear on something by rubbing against it, reducing its size: The jeweler ground the opals down into beautiful egg-shaped pieces. The miller ground down the wheat for the farmers.
2. To slow down, as if through a grinding action: The machine eventually ground down to a halt.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.