Aground: meaning, definitions and examples

Etymology

• The word comes from the Old English 'a-ground', meaning 'on the ground'.
• It has been used in nautical terms since at least the 15th century to describe ships that have run into trouble.
• The prefix 'a-' indicates 'on' or 'in', while 'ground' refers to the earth or the sea bed.

Navigation and Maritime Safety

• When a vessel is aground, it can cause significant damage to the hull, especially if it is hitting rocks or shallow waters.
• Mariners use charts and GPS to avoid grounding, as running aground can lead to costly repairs or even sinking.
• Salvage operations often take place to refloat vessels that are stuck aground, sometimes involving tugboats or dredging.

Cultural References

• In literature, the imagery of a ship aground often symbolizes loss or being trapped, reflecting the plight of the characters.
• Films set at sea often depict tense moments when ships become aground, leading to dramatic rescues or survival struggles.

Science of Floating

• The principle of buoyancy explains why ships float; when they take on too much weight or water, they may run aground.
• Scientific studies show that grounding incidents can significantly affect local marine ecosystems, especially when fuel leaks occur.

Historical Incidents

• Historic grounding events, like the grounding of the Titanic's sister ship, the Britannic, remind us of the importance of maritime awareness.
• Many famous shipwrecks happened because the vessels were aground in uncharted waters, highlighting navigation challenges throughout history.

Positioned at #22,019, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.

• ...
• 22016 porcine
• 22017 lulled
• 22018 trudged
• 22019 aground
• 22020 fluently
• 22021 pyloric
• 22022 tasked
• ...