groove

plural grooves

1. A long, narrow channel or depression; e.g., such a slot cut into a hard material to provide a location for an engineering component, a tire groove, or a geological channel or depression.

   Antonyms: ridge

2. A fixed routine.

   The gregarious trifling of life in the social groove.

   1873, John Morley, Rousseau

   2 more examples

   Through these distresses, the Odd Girl was cheerful and exemplary. But within four hours after dark we had got into a supernatural groove, and the Odd Girl had seen “Eyes,” and was in hysterics.

   1859 December 13, Charles Dickens, “The Mortals in the House”, in Charles Dickens, editor, The Haunted House. The Extra Christmas Number of All the Year Round […], volume II, London: […] C[harles] Whiting, […], →OCLC, page 4

   His counterpart Neil Warnock got his tactics spot on as Chelsea struggled to get into any sort of groove in the first half.

   2011 October 23, Becky Ashton, “QPR 1 - 0 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport

3. The middle of the strike zone in baseball where a pitch is most easily hit.
4. entertainmentA pronounced, enjoyable rhythm.

   Let the music play / He won't get away / This groove he can't ignore

   1983, Chris Barbosa, Ed Chisolm, “Let the Music Play”, performed by Shannon

   2 more examples

   Now, what you hear is not a test, I'm rapping to the beat / And me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet

   1979, “Rapper's Delight”, performed by The Sugarhill Gang

   Get into the groove / Boy, you've got to prove / Your love to me / Get up on your feet / Yeah, step to the beat

   1985, Stephen Bray, Madonna, “Into the Groove”, in Like a Virgin, performed by Madonna

5. datedinformalA good feeling (often as in the groove).

   How could he be expected to make music that put the audience in a groove, he reasoned, if he wasn't grooving himself?

   2010, Jan Reid, Shawn Sahm, Texas Tornado: The Times and Music of Doug Sahm, page 57

   1 more example

   You can't hide forever, just decide to make it better / Turn it into something good / Remember, you can choose not to lose / Find your groove and be a winner

   1980, Earth, Wind & Fire, “Turn It Into Something Good”, in Faces (Earth, Wind & Fire album)

6. businessA shaft or excavation.
7. hobbiesThe optimal route around the track, or any of several such routes.

present singular third person grooves · participle present grooving · participle past grooved · past grooved

1. transitiveTo cut a groove or channel in; to form into channels or grooves; to furrow.

   The path to my fixed purpose is laid with iron rails, whereon my soul is grooved to run.

   1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 37, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 186

2. intransitiveTo perform, dance to, or enjoy rhythmic music.

   I was just starting to groove to the band when we had to leave.

   1 more example

   Well, I got my way of groovin' / Sitting down right in my seat / I get soul satisfaction / Yeah, without jumpin' up and down on my feet

   1977, Brainstorm, “Lovin' Is Really My Game”, in Stormin'