grooming
Pronunciation: [ˈɡruːmɪŋ]
Context: “animal care”
(noun) grooming is when people take care of their pets by cleaning them, brushing their fur, or making them look nice. This helps the animals stay clean and healthy.
Example
After a good grooming session, the dog looked shiny and happy.
Example
The cat didn't enjoy the grooming and tried to escape.
Example
Do you take your dog for grooming regularly?
Context: “personal care”
(noun) grooming can also mean taking care of your own appearance, like brushing your hair, washing your face, or putting on clean clothes. It's about looking nice and feeling good about yourself.
Example
She spent some time on her grooming before the party, and she looked fantastic.
Example
He ignored his grooming and showed up looking messy and unkempt.
Example
What grooming habits do you think are important?
Context: “animal care”
(verb) to groom means to clean and take care of an animal’s fur or feathers. It's like giving your pet a bath or brushing its hair.
Example
He loves grooming his horse every evening after riding.
Example
The owner forgot to groom the rabbit, and it became very dirty.
Example
How often do you groom your pets?
Context: “personal care”
(verb) to groom yourself means to get ready and make yourself look good. This can be brushing your hair or cleaning your nails.
Example
I always groom myself carefully before going out with friends.
Example
She neglected to groom herself today and felt less confident.
Example
How long does it take you to groom yourself in the morning?
Context: “manipulation”
(verb) to groom can also mean to prepare someone for a specific situation in a way to influence or manipulate them, usually in a harmful way. This is often seen with people trying to gain trust to take advantage of others.
Example
The teacher was grooming her students by building strong relationships and trust.
Example
He was grooming the new employee in a way that made them feel uncomfortable.
Example
How can we tell if someone is trying to groom another person for bad reasons?