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to grain

to grain

2 7.9
To break into small hard pieces
  • verb
  • /ɡreɪn/
translation icon : granular

Examples

  • Should I grain the first ten off the top of the stack in the suitcase?

    Fiction book (1990)
  • As the artist began to grain the wood, the texture of the surface started to resemble a natural pattern.

  • Before staining the furniture, you need to grain the surface to enhance its appearance.

  • He decided to grain the canvas to prepare it for the next layer of paint.

Synonyms

to granulate
vsto grain
6 7.1

To make something into small grains like sugar

also means separating into particles as well as forming them
to corn
vsto grain
9.9

To make something into small hard grains or crystals

applies generally, not just to specific examples like sugar or gunpowder

Idioms

10 6.6

In a way that is different from what most people expect

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

grain of truth
  • Informal
5 3.9

A small real part of a story that is mostly false

grain alcohol
  • 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

feed grain
  • Specialized
1 3.3

Seeds of crops like corn or barley that farmers grow to feed animals

1 2.3

A small dry seed from plants like wheat or rice that people eat

1 1.9

A field where crops like wheat and barley grow

grain sorghum
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A tall plant grown for small edible seeds used for food or animal feed

seed grain
  • Specialized
1 3.4

Kernels of crops like corn that farmers keep to plant next season

spent grain
  • Specialized
1 7.3

Leftover grain from making beer that farmers use as animal feed

brewer's grain
  • Specialized
6.3

Leftover grain from making beer that farmers feed to animals

A small moth whose larvae eat stored grains like wheat or corn and damage them

metric grain
  • Specialized
7.9

A unit of weight that equals 50 milligrams or 1/4 carat used for pearls and diamonds

grain blower
  • Specialized
6.1

A machine that uses air to move grain

grain cleaner
  • Specialized
4.8

A machine that removes dirt and small stones from grain before storage or sale

A person or business that buys and sells grains like wheat

A small insect whose caterpillars eat stored grain and damage food

horse grain
  • Indian
9.9

A climbing plant with leaves and beans grown for animal feed and food

A small plant from northwestern North America with green and purple bell-shaped flowers

two-grain spelt
  • Specialized
9.9

A hard red wheat grown in Russia and Germany used mostly to feed farm animals

How Granular

to powder
39 3.0
to grain
2 7.9
grind
5 2.5
to break
1.0

Surface Forms

grain infinitive
grained past
grained past participle
graining present participle
grains third person singular

Etymology

Grain as a verb comes from the noun grain and means to form many small hard bits, like when something breaks into tiny 'seeds'. So if a mixture 'grains', it is turning into small particles.