Definition

1. Noun:
   • A hard, dark, granular rock used as an abrasive: Emery is a naturally occurring mineral mixture, primarily composed of corundum (aluminum oxide) and iron oxides like magnetite or hematite. It is valued for its hardness and is crushed into powder or grains to be used for grinding, polishing, and smoothing surfaces.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The craftsman used emery to polish the metal surface to a high shine.
  • Emery cloth, which is paper or cloth coated with emery powder, is common in workshops.
  • Before the invention of modern synthetic abrasives, emery was the primary material for sharpening tools.

Advanced Usage

• "Emery board": A small, flat strip of cardboard or wood coated with emery powder, used for filing and shaping fingernails.

  • She used an emery board to smooth the edges of her nails.

• "Emery wheel": A grinding wheel made by bonding emery grains together, used for sharpening or grinding metal.

  • The machinist sharpened the drill bit on an emery wheel.

Variants and Related Words

• Emery cloth (n): A flexible abrasive material made by gluing emery grains onto a cloth backing.
• Emery paper (n): Similar to emery cloth, but with a paper backing, often used for finer finishing work.

Synonyms

• Abrasive: A substance used for grinding, polishing, or cleaning a hard surface.
• Corundum: A very hard mineral (aluminum oxide) that is a primary component of emery and is also used as a gemstone (e.g., ruby, sapphire).

Related Phrases

(Note: "Emery" is primarily a noun and does not form standard phrasal verbs. Its usage is typically in compound nouns describing tools or materials.)

Related Idioms

(Note: There are no common idioms that feature the word "emery" as the key component.)

Noun

1. a hard grey-black mineral consisting of corundum and either hematite or magnetite; used as an abrasive (especially as a coating on paper)