Groundwork

The work which serves as the basis, foundation, or support of anything. -The fundamentals; the e ential part. - First principle; primary cause; original reason. (Painting.) That color part on which the figures or images are drawn. See GROUND. Group, ( grōōp ,) n. [Dan. gruppe , a group; Fr. groupe , a cluster; It. groppo , a knot, a group; W. grab , a cluster.] A cluster, crowd, or throng; an a emblage, either of persons or things; a number collected with order, form, or arrangement; as, a group of children, a group of islands, . - An a emblage of figures or objects in a certain form, or order of relation, or connected by some common individuality or characteristic; as, a group of animals, a group of rocks. (Painting.) An a emblage of objects, whose lighted parts form a luminous ma , and thin-shaded parts a ma of obscurity; the word is also used to denote any adjoining cluster of figures, animals, fruits, flowers, . In speaking also of objects of different sorts, it is usual to say that one object groups with another. Lights in groups should, as well as shadows, be connected together, or the nece ary repose will be wanting. ( Sculp .) A design containing two or more figures. ( Mus .) A number of notes linked together at the stems. -v. a. [Fr. grouper .] To form into a group; to bring or place together in a cluster or knot; to form into an a emblage.