grassroots
part of speech
noun (the grassroots); adjective (grassroots, grass-roots)
meaning for a pupil
1) The grassroots are the ordinary people in a group, club or movement, not the leaders. tree →
2) Grassroots describes something that starts with ordinary people locally, not with people in power, as in grassroots football or a grassroots campaign. tree →
sense in the lessons
In politics and citizenship lessons, grassroots campaigns are begun by ordinary people, such as a petition to save a park. In sport, grassroots football and rugby mean local clubs where children play. In news, leaders are told to listen to the grassroots.
examples
- Grassroots football clubs need volunteers. tree →
- The campaign to save the library was a grassroots effort. tree →
- Many famous players started at grassroots level. tree →
- The party leader listened to the grassroots. tree →
- Our recycling scheme began as a grassroots idea. tree →
- Grassroots sport keeps children active. tree →
note
Often written as one word, sometimes grass-roots or grass roots. The literal grass roots (roots of grass) is a different, ordinary meaning. Used as an adjective before a noun: grassroots project.
In the corpora
- Under UK grassroots guidance there is no competitive sport for at least 21 days after a concussion, even if you feel fine sooner.
- Many grassroots referees are teenagers, and abuse from the touchline is a big reason referees give up.
- Many grassroots referees are teenagers, and abuse from the touchline is a big reason referees quit.
- Some grassroots leagues hold silent-support weekends where adults may only clap.
- At grassroots level playing time is how children improve, and fair minutes keep everyone learning and coming back.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «grassroots» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.