grammar

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: gram=mar

CIDE DICTIONARY

grammar, n. [OE. gramere, OF. gramaire, F. grammaire Prob. fr. L. gramatica Gr , fem. of skilled in grammar, fr. letter. See Gramme, Graphic, and cf. Grammatical, Gramarye.].

•  The science which treats of the principles of language; the study of forms of speech, and their relations to one another; the art concerned with the right use and application of the rules of a language, in speaking or writing.  [1913 Webster]

  " The whole fabric of grammar rests upon the classifying of words according to their function in the sentence."  Bain.  [1913 Webster]
•  The art of speaking or writing with correctness or according to established usage; speech considered with regard to the rules of a grammar.  [1913 Webster]

  "The original bad grammar and bad spelling."  [1913 Webster]
•  A treatise on the principles of language; a book containing the principles and rules for correctness in speaking or writing.  [1913 Webster]
•  treatise on the elements or principles of any science; as, a grammar of geography.  [1913 Webster]

  "When any town shall increase to the number of a hundred
  families or householders, they shall set up a grammar school, the master thereof being able to instruct youth so far as they may be fitted for the University."

Comparative grammar, the science which determines the relations of kindred languages by examining and comparing their grammatical forms. -- Grammar school. (a) A school, usually endowed, in which Latin and Greek grammar are taught, as also other studies preparatory to colleges or universities; as, the famous Rugby Grammar School. This use of the word is more common in England than in the United States.

grammar, v. i. 

 To discourse according to the rules of grammar; to use grammar.  Beau. & Fl.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

grammar, n.
1 a the study or rules of a language's inflections or other means of showing the relation between words, including its phonetic system. b a body of form and usages in a specified language (Latin grammar).
2 a person's manner or quality of observance or application of the rules of grammar (bad grammar).
3 a book on grammar.
4 the elements or rudiments of an art or science.
5 Brit. colloq. = grammar school.

Idiom

grammar school 1 Brit. esp. hist. a selective State secondary school with a mainly academic curriculum.
2 Brit. hist. a school founded in or before the 16th c. for teaching Latin, later becoming a secondary school teaching academic subjects.
3 US a school intermediate between primary and high school.

Derivative

grammarless adj.

Etymology

ME f. AF gramere, OF gramaire f. L grammatica f. Gk grammatike (tekhne) (art) of letters f. gramma -atos letter of the alphabet

DEVIL DICTIONARY

grammar

n. A system of pitfalls thoughtfully prepared for the feet for the self-made man, along the path by which he advances to distinction.

THESAURUS

grammar

abecedarium, abecedary, alphabet, alphabet book, basics, battledore, bowwow theory, casebook, choice of words, comparative linguistics, composition, derivation, descriptive linguistics, dialect, dialectology, diction, dingdong theory, elements, etymology, exercise book, expression, first principles, first steps, formulation, fundamentals, glossematics, glossology, glottochronology, glottology, gradus, graphemics, historical linguistics, hornbook, idiom, induction, language, language study, lexicology, lexicostatistics, linguistic geography, linguistic science, linguistics, locution, manual, manual of instruction, mathematical linguistics, morphology, morphophonemics, outlines, paleography, parlance, philology, phonetics, phonology, phrase, phraseology, phrasing, primer, principia, principles, psycholinguistics, reader, rhetoric, rudiments, schoolbook, semantics, sociolinguistics, speech, speller, spelling book, structuralism, syntactics, t, talk, text, transformational linguistics, usage, use of words, usus loquendi, verbiage, wordage, wording, workbook

ROGET THESAURUS

grammar

Grammar

N grammar, accidence, syntax, praxis, punctuation, parts of speech, jussive, syllabication, inflection, case, declension, conjugation, us et norma loquendi, Lindley Murray, correct style, philology.

Beginning

N beginning, commencement, opening, outset, incipience, inception, inchoation, introduction, alpha, initial, inauguration, debut, le premier pas, embarcation, rising of the curtain, maiden speech, outbreak, onset, brunt, initiative, move, first move, narrow end of the wedge, thin end of the wedge, fresh start, new departure, origin, source, rise, bud, germ, egg, rudiment, genesis, primogenesis, birth, nativity, cradle, infancy, start, inception, creation, starting point, dawn, evolution, title-page, head, heading, van, caption, fatihah, entrance, entry, inlet, orifice, mouth, chops, lips, porch, portal, portico, propylon, door, gate, gateway, postern, wicket, threshold, vestibule, propylaeum, skirts, border, first stage, first blush, first glance, first impression, first sight, rudiments, elements, outlines, grammar, alphabet, ABC, beginning, initial, initiatory, initiative, inceptive, introductory, incipient, proemial, inaugural, inchoate, inchoative, embryonic, rudimental, primogenial, primeval, primitive, primordial, aboriginal, natal, nascent, first, foremost, leading, maiden, begun, just begun, at the beginning, in the beginning first, in the first place, imprimis, first and foremost, in limine, in the bud, in embryo, in its infancy, from the beginning, from its birth, ab initio, ab ovo, ab incunabilis, ab origine, let's get going!, let's get this show on the road!, up and at 'em!, aller Anfang ist schwer, dimidium facti qui coepit habet, omnium rerum principia parva sunt.

Teaching

N teaching, instruction, edification, education, tuition, tutorage, tutelage, direction, guidance, opsimathy, qualification, preparation, training, schooling, discipline, excitation, drill, practice, book exercise, persuasion, proselytism, propagandism, propaganda, indoctrination, inculcation, inoculation, advise, explanation, lesson, lecture, sermon, apologue, parable, discourse, prolection, preachment, chalk talk, Chautauqua, exercise, task, curriculum, course, course of study, grammar, three R's, initiation, A, B, C, elementary education, primary education, secondary education, technical education, college education, collegiate education, military education, university education, liberal education, classical education, religious education, denominational education, moral education, secular education, propaedeutics, moral tuition, gymnastics, calisthenics, physical drill, physical education, sloyd, phonics, rote, rote memorization, brute memory, cooperative learning, Montessori method, ungraded classes, test, examination, exam, final exam, mid-term exam grade, score, marks, A, B, C, D, E, F, gentleman's C, pass, fail, incomplete, homework, take-home lesson, exercise for the student, theme, project, teaching, taught, educational, scholastic, academic, doctrinal, disciplinal, instructive, instructional, didactic, propaedeutic, propaedeutical, the schoolmaster abroad, a bovi majori disscit arare minor, adeo in teneris consuecere multum est, docendo discimus, quaenocent docent, qui docet discit, sermons in stones and good in everything.

School

N school, academy, university, alma mater, college, seminary, Lyceum, institute, institution, palaestra, Gymnasium, class, seminar, day school, boarding school, preparatory school, primary school, infant school, dame's school, grammar school, middle class school, Board school, denominational school, National school, British and Foreign school, collegiate school, art school, continuation school, convent school, County Council school, government school, grant-in-aid school, high school, higher grade school, military school, missionary school, naval school, naval academy, state-aided school, technical school, voluntary school, school, school of art, kindergarten, nursery, creche, reformatory, pulpit, lectern, soap box desk, reading desk, ambo, lecture room, theater, auditorium, amphitheater, forum, state, rostrum, platform, hustings, tribune, school book, horn book, text book, grammar, primer, abecedary, rudiments, manual, vade mecum, encyclopedia, cyclopedia, Lindley Murray, Cocker, dictionary, lexicon, professorship, lectureship, readership, fellowship, tutorship, chair, School Board Council of Education, Board of Education, Board of Studies, Prefect of Studies, Textbook Committee, propaganda, scholastic, academic, collegiate, educational, ex cathedra.