GRINDER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does grinder mean? 

• GRINDER (noun)
  The noun GRINDER has 4 senses:

1. a large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments); different names are used in different sections of the United States

2. grinding tooth with a broad crown; located behind the premolars

3. machinery that processes materials by grinding or crushing

4. a machine tool that polishes metal

  Familiarity information: GRINDER used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GRINDER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments); different names are used in different sections of the United States

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

bomber; Cuban sandwich; grinder; hero; hero sandwich; hoagie; hoagy; Italian sandwich; poor boy; sub; submarine; submarine sandwich; torpedo; wedge; zep

Hypernyms ("grinder" is a kind of...):

sandwich (two (or more) slices of bread with a filling between them)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Grinding tooth with a broad crown; located behind the premolars

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

grinder; molar

Hypernyms ("grinder" is a kind of...):

tooth (hard bonelike structures in the jaws of vertebrates; used for biting and chewing or for attack and defense)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "grinder"):

wisdom tooth (any of the last 4 teeth on each side of the upper and lower jaw; the last of the permanent teeth to erupt (between ages 16 and 21))

Derivation:

grind (reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Machinery that processes materials by grinding or crushing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

grinder; mill; milling machinery

Hypernyms ("grinder" is a kind of...):

machinery (machines or machine systems collectively)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "grinder"):

cider mill (mill that extracts juice from apples to make apple cider)

coffee grinder; coffee mill (a mill that grinds roasted coffee beans)

flour mill (a mill for grinding grain into flour)

gristmill (a mill for grinding grain (especially the customer's own grain))

meat grinder (a mill for grinding meat)

pepper grinder; pepper mill (a mill for grinding pepper)

quern (a primitive stone mill for grinding corn by hand)

spicemill (a mill for grinding spices)

tread-wheel; treadmill; treadwheel (a mill that is powered by men or animals walking on a circular belt or climbing steps)

water mill (a mill powered by a water wheel)

windmill (a mill that is powered by the wind)

Derivation:

grind (reduce to small pieces or particles by pounding or abrading)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A machine tool that polishes metal

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("grinder" is a kind of...):

machine tool (a powered machine for cutting or shaping or finishing metals or other materials)

Meronyms (parts of "grinder"):

emery wheel; grinding wheel (a wheel composed of abrasive material; used for grinding)

 Context examples 

You have thriven well in the world hitherto, said the grinder, now if you could find money in your pocket whenever you put your hand in it, your fortune would be made.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

A fierce quarrel broke out, which was increased by the two guardsmen, who took sides with one of the loungers, and by the scissors-grinder, who was equally hot upon the other side.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The —th regiment are stationed there since the riots; and the officers are the most agreeable men in the world: they put all our young knife-grinders and scissor merchants to shame.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

As he came to the next village, he saw a scissor-grinder with his wheel, working and singing.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

There was a group of shabbily dressed men smoking and laughing in a corner, a scissors-grinder with his wheel, two guardsmen who were flirting with a nurse-girl, and several well-dressed young men who were lounging up and down with cigars in their mouths.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Why, you must turn grinder like myself, said the other; you only want a grindstone; the rest will come of itself.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Yes, said the other, mine is a golden trade; a good grinder never puts his hand into his pocket without finding money in it—but where did you get that beautiful goose?

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Hans stood looking on for a while, and at last said, You must be well off, master grinder! you seem so happy at your work.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Now, said the grinder, as he gave him a common rough stone that lay by his side, this is a most capital stone; do but work it well enough, and you can make an old nail cut with it.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)