groundout: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Specialized / Sports / Metaphorical
Quick answer
What does “groundout” mean?
In baseball/softball, a batted ball that is turned into an out by a fielder throwing the ball to first base before the batter arrives.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
In baseball/softball, a batted ball that is turned into an out by a fielder throwing the ball to first base before the batter arrives.
By conceptual extension, an instance of being stopped, defeated, or eliminated in a gradual or unspectacular manner, analogous to the slow, rolling play in baseball.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively American due to the sport's prominence there. In the UK, it would only be understood in a baseball context or by fans. The metaphorical extension is even rarer in British English.
Connotations
In American English: technical sports term with potential for creative metaphorical use. In British English: a distinctly foreign (American) sports term.
Frequency
Very Low in UK; Low/Medium in US (within baseball contexts).
Grammar
How to Use “groundout” in a Sentence
[player] hit/grounded into a groundout to [position][fielder] recorded the groundoutVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “groundout” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He grounded out to shortstop.
American English
- The batter grounded out to end the inning.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Everyday
Extremely rare outside of baseball discussion.
Technical
Standard terminology in baseball statistics and commentary.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “groundout”
- Spelling as two words ('ground out') – while common, the closed form 'groundout' is standard for the noun.
- Using it as a general synonym for 'failure'.
- Confusing with 'strikeout' (a different type of out).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
As a noun, it is standardly written as one closed word: 'groundout'. The verb phrase is 'ground out' (two words).
Very rarely. It might be used as a creative metaphor for a slow, anticlimactic failure, but this is not common usage.
A 'ground ball' (or 'grounder') describes the type of batted ball. A 'groundout' is the specific result of that ground ball being turned into an out.
Yes, it results in an out. However, a 'productive groundout' (e.g., moving a runner into scoring position) is considered better than an unproductive one.
In baseball/softball, a batted ball that is turned into an out by a fielder throwing the ball to first base before the batter arrives.
Groundout is usually specialized / sports / metaphorical in register.
Groundout: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡraʊnd.aʊt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡraʊndˌaʊt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hit into a double-play groundout”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: a ball on the GROUND makes an OUT.
Conceptual Metaphor
FAILURE IS A GROUNDOUT (i.e., a slow, undramatic, inevitable process of elimination).
Practice
Quiz
In baseball, what primarily differentiates a 'groundout' from a 'flyout'?