grove

plural groves

1. A small forest.

   Religious sodomy was practised by male prostitutes in the Hebrew temple groves, which was one of the abominations of Israel that Josiah cleared away.

   1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 160

2. A small forest with minimal undergrowth.

   Near-synonym: woodland

   Synonyms: woodland

3. An orchard of fruit trees.
4. WiccaA place of worship.
5. A lodge of the Ancient Order of Druids.

present singular third person groves · participle present groving · participle past groved · past groved

1. To cultivate in groves; to grow naturally so as to form groves.

   1984, Queensland Botany Bulletin, Issue 3, Department of Primary Industries, page 82, Virtually recognizable groving occurs in some A. aneura associations in the west. Further east some diffuse groving may occur, but is difficult to recognize without the benefit of aerial photographs.

   2 more examples

   It is called "Orchard Lake," from the fact, that near the centre is an island embracing an area of about fifty acres of land, well groved with different kinds of shrubbery; and near the centre of this island stand a number of aged apple-trees, planted, perhaps, a century since by the hand of some Indian.

   1841, Sapp R, “Orchard Lake”, in L. L. Hamline, editor, The Ladies Repository, Volume 1, page 165

   The trees and shrubs are not arranged after any particular system, but are scattered or groved together in various parts of the garden.

   1822, Robert Chapman, The Topographical Picture of Glasgow in its Ancient and Modern State, 3rd edition, page 195

2. businessTo cultivate with periodic harvesting that also serves to create order (gaps and lines of trees) to facilitate further harvesting.

   1 more example

   In Herefordshire, especially on the northern and eastern sides, Oak timber abounds; and in many of the woods it is usual to have felling at periods varying from sixteen to twenty years; the straightest and handsomest are left for timber, or, as it is called, groved; and they are from time to time thinned, and a regular distance kept between them. The effect produced on these groved trees is, that from being exposed to air and sun, the rapidity of their growth is increased in bulk, height, and quality; and in sixty or eighty years they become valuable timber.

   1842 February 5, The Gardeners Chronicle, page 86

3. To plough or gouge with lines.

   The floor of first story and piazza to be laid with Georgia pine, in narrow courses planed, groved and tongued, and laid in the best manner.

   1841, New York State Assembly, Documents of the Assembly of the State of New York, volume 2, page 14

   1 more example

   1823, Instinct, in "Sholto and Reuben Percy" (Thomas Byerley), The Percy Anecdotes: Original and Select, Volume 9: Instinct—Ingenuity, page 138, Very frequently, however, to shorten the distance to the upper nurseries, where they have to take the eggs, they project an arch of about ten inches in length, and half an inch in breadth, groved or worked into steps, on its upper surface, to allow of a more easy passage.

   Synonyms: groove

1. A habitational surname from Middle English for someone who lived near a grove.

   1 more example

   The law was jointly authored by state Sens. Dave Cortese, a San Jose Democrat, and Shannon Grove, a Bakersfield Republican. […] Leno joined Grove and classic-car owners outside the state Capitol in Sacramento in April 2025 to rally for SB 712, which would have created a broader rolling exemption for collector vehicles at least 35 years old.

   2026 September 16, Cecelio Padilla, “California's "Leno's Law" signed, expanding classic car smog exemptions”, in CBS News, archived from the original on 18 Sep 2026

2. Any of several villages in England.
   1. A hamlet in Slapton parish, Buckinghamshire (OS grid ref SP9192).
   2. A village in Portland parish, Dorset (OS grid ref SY6972).
   3. A hamlet in Yarkhill parish, Herefordshire (OS grid ref SO6144).
   4. A hamlet in Wickhambreaux parish, Canterbury district, Kent (OS grid ref TR2361).
   5. A small village and civil parish (served by Headon cum Upton, Grove and Stokeham Parish Council) in Bassetlaw district, Nottinghamshire (OS grid ref SK7379).
   6. A large village and civil parish in Vale of White Horse district, Oxfordshire (OS grid ref SU4090).
3. A suburb of Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales (OS grid ref SM9800).
4. A place in the United States:
   1. A town in Allegany County, New York.
   2. A city in Delaware County, Oklahoma.
   3. An unincorporated community in James City County, Virginia.
   4. An unincorporated community in Doddridge County, West Virginia.
   5. A number of townships, in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, listed under Grove Township.
5. A municipality in Lauenburg district, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
6. A rural locality in Huon Valley council area, Tasmania, Australia.