Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 10:43:56 -0400

From: Brenda Lester brenles[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CODY.GAC.PEACHNET.EDU

Subject: Re: Ground for Floor



I'm plowing through George Eliot's _Mill on the Floss_ (1860), in which

the floor is always referred to as the ground.



On Wed, 16 Jul 1997, Peggy Smith wrote:



There are many expressions that have worked their way into the language

which use the word ground. The meaning is closer to bottom, foundation,

or base, rather than outside dirt layer of earth. For example:

ground floor= walk-in level of a building, ground zero, proving ground,

playground, testing ground, high ground, low ground... These are a few

off the top of my head.



P. Smith