From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Grammar \Gram"mar\, n. [OE. gramere, OF. gramaire, F. grammaire
Prob. fr. L. gramatica Gr ?, fem. of ? skilled in grammar,
fr. ? letter. See {Gramme}, {Graphic}, and cf. {Grammatical},
{Gramarye}.]
1. The science which treats of the principles of language;
the study of forms of speech, and their relations to one
another; the art concerned with the right use and
application of the rules of a language, in speaking or
writing.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The whole fabric of grammar rests upon the classifying
of words according to their function in the sentence.
--Bain.
[1913 Webster]
2. The art of speaking or writing with correctness or
according to established usage; speech considered with
regard to the rules of a grammar.
[1913 Webster]
The original bad grammar and bad spelling.
--Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
3. A treatise on the principles of language; a book
containing the principles and rules for correctness in
speaking or writing.
[1913 Webster]
4. treatise on the elements or principles of any science; as,
a grammar of geography.
[1913 Webster]
{Comparative grammar}, the science which determines the
relations of kindred languages by examining and comparing
their grammatical forms.
{Grammar school}.
(a) A school, usually endowed, in which Latin and Greek
grammar are taught, as also other studies preparatory
to colleges or universities; as, the famous Rugby
Grammar School. This use of the word is more common in
England than in the United States.
[1913 Webster]
When any town shall increase to the number of a
hundred
families or householders, they shall set up a
grammar school, the master thereof being able to
instruct youth so far as they may be fitted for
the University. --Mass.
Records
(1647).
(b) In the American system of graded common schools, at
one time the term referred to an intermediate school
between the primary school and the high school, in
which the principles of English grammar were taught;
now, it is synonymous with {primary school} or
{elementary school}, being the first school at which
children are taught subjects required by the state
educational laws. In different communities, the
grammar school (primary school) may have grades 1 to
4, 1 to 6, or 1 to 8, usually together with a
kindergarten. Schools between the primary school and
high school are now commonly termed {middle school} or
{intermediate school}.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
elementary school
n 1: a school for young children; usually the first 6 or 8
grades [syn: {grade school}, {grammar school}, {elementary
school}, {primary school}]
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