[grahs] 
| 1. | Fran⋅çois Jo⋅seph Paul [frahn-swa zhaw-zef pawl] , Comte de (Marquis de Grasse-Tilly ), 1722–1788, French admiral. |
| 2. | a city in S France, near the Mediterranean: tourist center; perfume industry. 135,330. |
| Grasse (grās, gräs) A town of southeast France west of Nice. Probably founded in Roman times, it was an independent republic in the 12th century. The city has long been noted for its perfume industry. Population: 48,200. |
| Grasse, Comte François Joseph Paul de. Marquis de Grasse-Tilly. 1722?-1788. French naval officer who during the American Revolution commanded the French fleet in Chesapeake Bay, thereby preventing British naval forces from aiding Cornwallis at Yorktown (1781). |
Grasse
town, southeastern France, Alpes-Maritimes departement, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region, northwest of Cannes, west-southwest of Nice. Situated at an elevation of 1,100-1,250 feet (330-380 metres) on a slope in a natural amphitheatre in the lower Alps, it is a resort that is visited in both summer and winter. Grasse is also a world leader in the production of natural fragrances for the perfume industry and of flavourings for food manufacturers. The perfume industry, although largely controlled by multinational groups, dominates the local economy. Roses, jasmine, and other flowers, as well as bitter orange blossom, from which the perfumes are distilled, are cultivated in the vicinity.
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