groove

noun

1. A long, narrow channel or depression; e.g., such a slot cut into a hard material to provide a location for an engineering component, a tire groove, or a geological channel or depression.
2. A fixed routine.

   “Through these distresses, the Odd Girl was cheerful and exemplary. But within four hours after dark we had got into a supernatural groove, and the Odd Girl had seen “Eyes,” and was in hysterics.”

   “The gregarious trifling of life in the social groove.”

   “His counterpart Neil Warnock got his tactics spot on as Chelsea struggled to get into any sort of groove in the first half.”

3. The middle of the strike zone in baseball where a pitch is most easily hit.
4. A pronounced, enjoyable rhythm.

   “Now, what you hear is not a test, I'm rapping to the beat / And me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet”

   “Let the music play / He won't get away / This groove he can't ignore”

   “Get into the groove / Boy, you've got to prove / Your love to me / Get up on your feet / Yeah, step to the beat”

5. (dated, informal)A good feeling (often as in the groove).

   “You can't hide forever, just decide to make it better / Turn it into something good / Remember, you can choose not to lose / Find your groove and be a winner”

   “How could he be expected to make music that put the audience in a groove, he reasoned, if he wasn't grooving himself?”

6. A shaft or excavation.
7. The optimal route around the track, or any of several such routes.

verb

1. (transitive)To cut a groove or channel in; to form into channels or grooves; to furrow.

   “The path to my fixed purpose is laid with iron rails, whereon my soul is grooved to run.”

2. (intransitive)To perform, dance to, or enjoy rhythmic music.

   “I was just starting to groove to the band when we had to leave.”