Definition

1. Adjective:
   • (of a liquid) agitated vigorously; in a state of turbulence: Describes a liquid that is moving violently, often in a swirling or foaming manner.
   • moving with or produced by vigorous agitation: Describes something that is being stirred, mixed, or disturbed with great force or energy.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The churning waters of the stormy sea made the sailors sick.
  • We could see the churning mud where the elephants had bathed.
  • The churning mixture in the industrial blender was ready for the next step.

Advanced Usage

• "churning out" (phrasal verb, separate from the adjective 'churning'): producing something in large quantities, often mechanically or without much thought.
  • The factory was churning out thousands of units every day.
• "churning up": stirring up or agitating something, often mud, water, or emotions.
  • The ship's propellers were churning up the silt from the riverbed.

Variants and Related Words

• Churn (verb): To stir or agitate a liquid vigorously; to move about violently.
  • Churn the cream to make butter.
• Churned (adjective, past participle): Having been agitated or stirred vigorously.
  • churned-up earth
• Churner (noun): One who or that which churns.
  • The butter churner was an essential tool on the farm.

Synonyms

• Roiling: (of a liquid) moving in a turbulent, swirling way.
• Turbulent: Characterized by conflict, disorder, or confusion; not stable or calm.
• Agitated: Feeling or appearing troubled or nervous; (of a liquid) stirred vigorously.

Related Phrasal Verbs (from the verb 'churn')

• Churn out: To produce something routinely and in large quantities.
  • The author churns out a new novel every year.
• Churn up: To cause something to be stirred up or disturbed.
  • The scandal churned up old memories for the family.

Related Idioms

• Stomach is churning: A feeling of nausea or nervous anxiety.
  • My stomach was churning as I waited for the interview to start.
• Churning of the ocean: A reference to a Hindu myth about the gods and demons churning the cosmic ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality.
  • The story illustrates the churning of the ocean to gain wisdom.

Adjective

1. (of a liquid) agitated vigorously; in a state of turbulence
   • the river's roiling current
   • turbulent rapids
2. moving with or producing or produced by vigorous agitation
   • winds whipped the piled leaves into churning masses
   • a car stuck in the churned-up mud