ground cloth

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ground′ cloth′, 

1. groundsheet.
2. Show Business a covering, usually of canvas, for the floor of a stage.
• 1915–20

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ground•sheet  (ground′shēt′), n. 

1. a waterproof sheet of plastic, canvas, or other durable material spread on the ground, as under a sleeping bag or in a tent, for protection against moisture. Also called ground cloth. 

• ground¹ + sheet¹ 1905–10

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

groundsheet / ˈɡraʊndˌʃiːt/, ground cloth noun

1. a waterproof rubber, plastic, or polythene sheet placed on the ground in a tent, etc, to keep out damp