n. [ Cf. Scot. grome, groyme, grume, gome, guym, man, lover, OD. grom boy, youth; perh. the r is an insertion as in E. bridegroom, and the word is the same as AS. guma man. See Bridegroom. ] 1. A boy or young man; a waiter; a servant; especially, a man or boy who has charge of horses, or the stable. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of several officers of the English royal household, chiefly in the lord chamberlain's department; as, the groom of the chamber; the groom of the stole. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A man recently married, or about to be married; a bridegroom. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Groom porter, formerly an officer in the English royal household, who attended to the furnishing of the king's lodgings and had certain privileges. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Groomed p. pr. & vb. n. Grooming. ] To tend or care for, or to curry or clean, as a, horse. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, grooms horses; especially, a brush rotated by a flexible or jointed revolving shaft, for cleaning horses. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Preparing a person for a position requiring skilled behavior, especially by providing opposrtunity for practise and guidance in making the right decisions; as, to provide grooming for one's successor as president. [ wns=1 ]
Syn. -- training, preparation. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. The activity of getting dressed, washed and generally of neat appearance. [ wns=2 ]
Syn. -- dressing. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. The activity of cleaning oneself or others by removing lice, ticks, dirt, etc. from the fur; -- of animals. [ PJC ]

n.; pl. Groomsmen A male attendant of a bridegroom at his wedding; -- the chief attendant is also called the best man; -- the correlative of bridesmaid. [ 1913 Webster ]