There are several meanings of the term Grounding:
- Grounding is a common punishment for children or teenagers. In some cases it is suggested as an alternative to corporal punishment in the home. Typically a young person who is grounded is forbidden from leaving the home, except for attending school or college. Occasionally it can be combined with the withdrawal of privileges like use of television, telephone or computer games.
- Grounding is also used to describe an electrical ground or when a plane is grounded (that means it can't take off and therefore, has to stay on the ground.)
- Another use of the term grounding is to describe the act of a ship colliding with ground that is too shallow beneath the surface of the water. Such a ship is said to have "run aground".
- A grounding can also mean a low but general level of knowledge or understanding, such as in the phrase "A basic grounding in a subject".
- Grounding can also mean returning to a fully-conscious state after an esoteric or psychedelic experience.
