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Glite Dictionary
to ensile

to ensile

9.9
To store green food for animals in a silo so they can eat it later
  • verb
  • /ɛnˈsaɪl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ensilar
  • Farmers often ensile their crops to ensure they have enough feed for the winter.

Examples

  • Maize and dab grass were ensiled without molasses (control), or with the addition of 2%, 4%, or 6% molasses.

    Academic text (2015)

  • In all cases, material was ensiled in large plastic drums lined with polythene sheet and then compressed through manual trampling.

    Academic text (2015)

  • Dab grass mixed with maize (ratio 1:3) was ensiled without molasses (control), or with 2%, 4%, and 6% molasses.

    Academic text (2015)

  • To preserve the nutrients, we decided to ensile the fresh forage in airtight containers.

  • During the rainy season, it's crucial to ensile the grass promptly to prevent spoilage.

Synonyms

to silo
vsto ensile
  • Specialized
1 4.8

To store grain or animal feed inside a tall farm container

is used to preserve forage by making it into silage
siloing
vsto ensile
  • Specialized
6.2

Storing grain or animal feed in a tall container to keep it dry

refers specifically to storing forage to preserve it as silage
siloed
vsto ensile
  • Specialized
6.8

Stored in a tall farm container to keep grain dry

describes the specific act of storing forage to make silage

Surface Forms

ensile infinitive
ensiled past
ensiled past participle
ensiling present participle
ensiles third person singular

Morphology

ensile = silo (transparent) = en + sile

The verb is formed by the productive English prefix 'en-' meaning 'put into' applied to the storage concept (most recognizably represented by 'silo'), so the action meaning is directly derivable.

Etymology

Ensile comes from the parts en- 'in' and silo, the farm container for stored feed, so it means to put fodder into a silo. That's why to ensile is to store green feed like corn or grass in a silo to keep it for winter as silage.