\Grand\, a. [Compar. {Grander}; superl. {Grandest}.] [OE.
grant, grount, OF. grant, F. grand, fr. L. grandis; perh.
akin to gravis heavy, E. grave, a. Cf. {Grandee}.]
1. Of large size or extent; great; extensive; hence,
   relatively great; greatest; chief; principal; as, a grand
   mountain; a grand army; a grand mistake. ``Our grand foe,
   Satan.'' --Milton.
         Making so bold . . . to unseal Their grand
         commission.                           --Shak.
2. Great in size, and fine or imposing in appearance or
   impression; illustrious, dignifled, or noble (said of
   persons); majestic, splendid, magnificent, or sublime
   (said of things); as, a grand monarch; a grand lord; a
   grand general; a grand view; a grand conception.
         They are the highest models of expression, the
         unapproached masters of the grand style. --M.
                                               Arnold.
3. Having higher rank or more dignity, size, or importance
   than other persons or things of the same name; as, a grand
   lodge; a grand vizier; a grand piano, etc.
4. Standing in the second or some more remote degree of
   parentage or descent; -- generalIy used in composition;
   as, grandfather, grandson, grandchild, etc.
         What cause Mov'd our grand parents, in that happy
         state, Favor'd of Heaven so highly, to fall off From
         their Creator.                        --Milton.
{Grand action}, a pianoforte action, used in grand pianos, in
   which special devices are employed to obtain perfect
   action of the hammer in striking and leaving the string.
{Grand Army of the Republic}, an organized voluntary
   association of men who served in the Union army or navy
   during the civil war in the United States. The order has
   chapters, called Posts, throughout the country.
{Grand cross}.
   (a) The highest rank of knighthood in the Order of the
       Bath.
   (b) A knight grand cross.
{Grand cordon}, the cordon or broad ribbon, identified with
   the highest grade in certain honorary orders; hence, a
   person who holds that grade.
{Grand days} (Eng. Law), certain days in the terms which are
   observed as holidays in the inns of court and chancery
   (Candlemas, Ascension, St. John Baptist's, and All Saints'
   Days); called also {Dies non juridici}.
{Grand duchess}.
   (a) The wife or widow of a grand duke.
   (b) A lady having the sovereignty of a duchy in her own
       right.
   (c) In Russia, a daughter of the Czar.
{Grand duke}.
   (a) A sovereign duke, inferior in rank to a king; as, the
       Grand Duke of Tuscany.
   (b) In Russia, a son of the Czar.
   (c) (Zo["o]l.) The European great horned owl or eagle owl
       ({Bubo maximas}).
{Grand-guard}, or {Grandegarde}, a piece of plate armor used
   in tournaments as an extra protection for the left
   shoulder and breast.
{Grand juror}, a member of a grand jury.
{Grand jury} (Law), a jury of not less than twelve men, and
   not more than twenty-three, whose duty it is, in private
   session, to examine into accusations against persons
   charged with crime, and if they see just cause, then to
   find bills of indictment against them, to be presented to
   the court; -- called also {grand inquest}.
{Grand juryman}, a grand juror.
{Grand larceny}. (Law) See under {Larceny}.
{Grand lodge}, the chief lodge, or governing body, among
   Freemasons and other secret orders.
{Grand master}.
   (a) The head of one of the military orders of knighthood,
       as the Templars, Hospitallers, etc.
   (b) The head of the order of Freemasons or of Good
       Templars, etc.
{Grand paunch}, a glutton or gourmand. [Obs.] --Holland.
{Grand pensionary}. See under {Pensionary}.
{Grand piano} (Mus.), a large piano, usually harp-shaped, in
   which the wires or strings are generally triplicated,
   increasing the power, and all the mechanism is introduced
   in the most effective manner, regardless of the size of
   the instrument.
{Grand relief} (Sculp.), alto relievo.
{Grand Seignior}. See under {Seignior}.
{Grand stand}, the principal stand, or erection for
   spectators, at a, race course, etc.
{Grand vicar} (Eccl.), a principal vicar; an ecclesiastical
   delegate in France.
{Grand vizier}. See under {Vizier}.
Syn: Magnificent; sublime; majestic; dignified; elevated;
     stately; august; pompous; lofty; eralted; noble.
Usage: Grand, Magnificent, Sublime. Grand, in reference to
       objects of taste, is applied to that which expands the
       mind by a sense of vastness and majesty; magnificent
       is applied to anything which is imposing from its
       splendor; sublime describes that which is awful and
       elevating. A cataract is grand; a rich and varied
       landscape is magnificent; an overhanging precipice is
       sublime. ``Grandeur admits of degrees and
       modifications; but magnificence is that which has
       already reached the highest degree of superiority
       naturally belonging to the object in question.''
       --Crabb.