groom

[ groom, groom ]

noun

1. a bridegroom.
2. a man or boy in charge of horses or the stable.
3. any of several officers of the English royal household.
4. Archaic. a manservant.

verb (used with object)

1. to tend carefully as to person and dress; make neat or tidy.
2. to clean, brush, and otherwise tend (a horse, dog, etc.).
3. to prepare (a trail) for a specific use, such as skiing, biking, or hiking:

   The resort is currently grooming 7 miles of cross-country ski trails for your enjoyment this winter.

4. to prepare for a position, election, etc.:

   Both of these young goalies are being groomed for roles in the NHL.

5. to condition or manipulate (a victim) emotionally over time, as through friendship, gifts, flattery, etc., in order to entrap the person in a sexually abusive or predatory relationship.
6. (of an animal) to tend (itself or another) by removing dirt, parasites, or specks of other matter from the fur, skin, feathers, etc.: often performed as a social act.

groom

/ ɡruːm; ɡrʊm /

noun

1. a person employed to clean and look after horses
2. See bridegroom
3. any of various officers of a royal or noble household
4. archaic.
   a male servant or attendant
5. archaic.
   a young man

verb

1. to make or keep (clothes, appearance, etc) clean and tidy
2. to rub down, clean, and smarten (a horse, dog, etc)
3. to train or prepare for a particular task, occupation, etc

   to groom someone for the Presidency

4. to win the confidence of (a victim) in order to a commit sexual assault on him or her

Derived Forms

• ˈgroomer, noun
• ˈgrooming, noun

Other Words From

• groom·er noun
• groom·ish adjective
• groom·ish·ly adverb
• non·groom·ing adjective
• re·groom verb (used with object)
• un·groomed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of groom¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English grom, grome, groum “infant boy, boy, youth, groom”; further origin obscure; akin to grow

Word History and Origins

Origin of groom¹

C13 grom manservant; perhaps related to Old English grōwan to grow

Example Sentences

Instead, for the select few in attendance, it was almost like celebrating a wedding without the bride and groom.

From Time

As a medical student in Richmond, Eleanor Love showed up to as many wedding venues as possible, even when she didn’t know the bride and groom.

From Washington Post

The bad news for guests—a group not mutually exclusive from the brides and grooms, especially those of a certain age who find themselves on the wedding circuit—is there may not be, at least not for a while.

From Time

Many brides and grooms have sunk a significant amount of money into rescheduling their events.

From Time

Brides and grooms have been forced to become amateur public-health prognosticators.

From Time

Women threw rice on peshmerga fighters, a tradition practiced at Syrian weddings when neighbors welcome the bride and groom.

From The Daily Beast

A couple on Merwedeplein got married on this day, and a friend captured the bride and groom leaving their apartment.

From The Daily Beast

Manhattan was the patient groom in my unspoken arranged marriage, the implicit goal of any tri-state suburban childhood.

From The Daily Beast

The charges against the groom as well as against a bridesmaid were dropped.

From The Daily Beast

And Republicans have just founded a new organization to groom minorities in the party.

From The Daily Beast

A groom is a chap, that a gentleman keeps to clean his 'osses, and be blown up, when things go wrong.

From Project Gutenberg

Throwing up the window, he saw his young son attempting to mount the groom's pony: the latter objecting.

From Project Gutenberg

Lady Hartledon driving, the boy-groom sitting beside her, and Eddie's short legs striding the pony.

From Project Gutenberg

But the groom who took care of them sprang instantly after them, and kept swimming beside them, guiding and cheering them.

From Project Gutenberg

A former groom; born about 1767; short, thickset, wife-led, one-eyed.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• comb
• educate
• prim
• tend