grinding

Inherited from Middle English gryndynge. By surface analysis, grind +‎ -ing.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹaɪnd.ɪŋ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪndɪŋ

grinding

1. present participle and gerund of grind

grinding (countable and uncountable, plural grindings)

1. The action of grinding together or crushing into small particles; the sound of this action.

   Ominous creakings and grindings came from the innards of the machine.

2. (manufacturing, repair) The action of grinding a workpiece to change its size, shape, and surface finish.

   Grinding sometimes involves tight tolerances on the order of a few microns.

3. (dance) A form of dance in which two people rub their bodies together.

   No grinding is allowed on the dance floor at the junior prom: it isn't age-appropriate.

4. (roleplaying games, gaming) Repeatedly performing the same quest or similar in-game activity in order to amass points or wealth.

   I really hate the grinding to get that 1% chance item.

5. (business, informal) The act of doing the daily grind.

   A: Hey Bob, how's it goin? B: Meh, I'm tired of grinding, man.

grinding (not comparable)

1. Of or pertaining to the act or gratingly sound of grinding.

   The meeting came to a grinding halt when the two sides could not agree.

2. Relentlessly taxing; burdensome; exacting to the point of exhaustion.

   A week of filled with grinding toil.

   • 1983 April 16, John Kyper, “Cuba: A Little Sex, No Drugs, and Lotsa Rock 'n Roll”, in Gay Community News, page 8:

     I saw none of the grinding poverty to which I had become inured, no beggars, no one passed out in the streets or homeless people forced to camp out in parks and doorways.

3. (obsolete) Crushing; oppressive; overwhelming.

• grindingly

• dringing