From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgrassgrass1 /ɡrɑːs $ ɡræs/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 1 in fields and gardens a) [uncountable]DLGHBP a very common plant with thin leaves that covers the ground in fields and gardens and is often eaten by animals She enjoyed the feel of grass beneath her feet. a blade of grass (=single leaf) b) [countable]HBP a particular kind of grass All grasses need light to grow well.2 → the grass3 drug [uncountable] informalMDD marijuana4 criminal [countable] British English informalSCCCRIME someone, usually a criminal, who gives information about other criminals to the police – used to show disapproval SYN informer, stoolpigeon American English → supergrass5 → the grass is greener (on the other side)6 → not let the grass grow under your feet7 → put somebody out to grass → grass roots, → snake in the grass at snake1(2)COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2verbscut the grassThe grass in the back garden needs cutting.mow the grass (=cut it with a special machine)I usually mow the grass once a week.adjectivesgreenThe cows moved slowly through the long green grass.tall/longI walked with the tall grass brushing my knees.shortThese mowers only work efficiently on short grass.coarse (=consisting of thick and large pieces)The only vegetation was a few bushes and patches of coarse grass.damp/wetHis foot slipped on the wet grass and he fell.grass + NOUNgrass clippings/cuttings (=pieces of cut grass)You can use your grass clippings to start your own compost pile.grass stains (=marks on clothing caused by grass)It's going to be difficult to get the grass stains out of these trousers.grass seedNow is the best time to plant grass seed.grass verge British English (=area of grass next to a road)He stopped the car on the grass verge of the deserted road.phrasesa blade of grass (=a single piece of grass)A few blades of grass poked out of the dry earth.
Examples from the Corpus
grass• Grama grasses are what the fifty million buffalo ate.• Bulbs for naturalising in grass are usually sold in bulk, sometimes in mixtures.• I sat down in the long grass, puzzled to understand my weakness.• I wouldn't inform on you -- I'm no grass.• There was shorter grass up here, and the ground curved -.• Early next morning, before breakfast, they crossed the grass leaving a dark trail of foot prints in the dew.• Please keep off the grass.• Others were milling around on the grass to no apparent purpose.• wild grassesblade of grass• But every drop that fell contained the promise of another leaf, another blossom, another blade of grass in the spring.• Similar lumps had been spread there before, and showed as bleached-out mounds through which a few blades of grass grew.• There was not a breath of wind blowing, and not a leaf or blade of grass stirred.• They had stripped the lower forest of anything resembling a leaf or blade of grass.• And when he looked at the blades of grass he saw that they were only blades of grass.• The larvae of red worms crawl up the blades of grass and are eaten by horses.grassgrass2 verb [intransitive] (also grass somebody up) British English informalTALK TO somebody to tell the police about a criminal’s activitiesgrass on Burton grassed on other prisoners. → grass something ↔ over→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
grass• You grassed on us to save your own life.• Apple trees require plenty of potash and nitrogen, especially if the area is grassed over.• I don't trust her -- what if she grasses us up?Origin grass Old English græs 