grain
15
7.2
- noun
- /ɡreɪn/
- Specialized
:
grano
- One to two grains on the pressure plate can ruin a roll of film.
- weigh grains
- one grain
You know, I mean, that's not true, but but that would be the you didn't, you didn't learn that it failed because I put in two grains too much of this chemical.
- You know, I mean, that's not true, but but that would be the you didn't, you didn't learn that it failed because I put in two grains too much of this chemical.
Examples
-
He carefully measured out 5 grains of gold for the ring.
-
I picked a grain of rice off the floor.
Fiction book (1993) -
One and a quarter pounds, to the grain.
-
It's only half a grain, darling, then you'll be sure to sleep.
-
125 grain, 1,425 feet per second.
-
Nurse, Sodium Luminol, two and a half grains.
-
The military-issue M-16 rifle has a missile velocity of 3,200 ft/sec, and its bullets weigh 55 grains each.
Academic text (2002) -
The ammunition box contained 150 grains of powder for each bullet.
-
The pharmacist prescribed a dosage of 10 grains of the medication for optimal effectiveness.
Synonyms
A unit of weight that equals 50 milligrams or 1/4 carat used for pearls and diamonds
Idioms
- Informal
8
7.4
To do something very different from what most people expect or usually do
Compounds
23
2.7
A grain that still has all its natural parts, like the outer layer and soft inside
- Specialized
2
4.6
Pure alcohol made by heating fermented grain, used in medicine, as a solvent or fuel additive
2
3.0
The lines and patterns you see on the surface of wood that its long thin parts make
- Specialized
1
6.1
A tall plant grown for small edible seeds used for food or animal feed
A small moth whose larvae eat stored grains like wheat or corn and damage them
- Specialized
A unit of weight that equals 50 milligrams or 1/4 carat used for pearls and diamonds
- Specialized
A machine that removes dirt and small stones from grain before storage or sale
A small plant from northwestern North America with green and purple bell-shaped flowers
- Specialized
A hard red wheat grown in Russia and Germany used mostly to feed farm animals
Surface Forms
Etymology
Grain became a small unit of weight because people once used a single seed as an easy measure for very small amounts. So a weight called a grain is like the weight of one little 'seed'.