grains

grains

A fisherman uses a grains to spear a fish in the river.

Definition

  1. Noun (plural):

    • Small, hard seeds of cereal plants: "grains" refers to the small, hard seeds of plants like wheat, rice, corn, or oats, used as food.
    • Small particles or units: "grains" can also mean tiny, discrete particles of a substance, such as sand, salt, or sugar.
    • A unit of weight: In historical or specialized contexts, "grains" can denote a unit of mass (approximately 64.8 milligrams), used for measuring gunpowder, bullets, or precious stones.

  2. Verb (third-person singular present of "grain"):

    • To form into small particles: "grains" as a verb means to break or form something into small, granular pieces or to give a granular texture.
Usage Examples

  • Noun:

    • The farmer harvested the grains from the field. (Small seeds of cereal plants used for food.)
    • She added a few grains of salt to the soup. (Tiny particles of salt.)
    • The bullet weighed 150 grains. (A unit of weight for ammunition.)

  • Verb:

    • The machine grains the wheat into flour. (The machine breaks wheat into small particles.)
Advanced Usage

  • "grains of truth": a small amount of truth or accuracy within a larger falsehood or exaggeration.

    • His story had some grains of truth, but most of it was fiction. (A few small parts were true.)

  • "against the grain": contrary to one's natural inclination or the usual direction.

    • It goes against the grain for me to lie. (It feels unnatural or wrong.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Grain (noun, singular): a single seed or particle.

    • A grain of sand is very small. (A single tiny particle.)

  • Grainy (adjective): having a rough or granular texture.

    • The photo is grainy because it was taken in low light. (The image has visible small dots or texture.)

  • Grainy (adjective, of wood): showing the pattern of wood fibers.

    • The table has a beautiful grainy finish. (The wood's natural lines are visible.)
Synonyms
  • Seed: a small, hard object from which a plant grows.
  • Particle: a tiny piece of matter.
  • Granule: a small, hard particle or grain.
Phrasal Verbs
  • Grain out: to separate grains from chaff or husks.
    • The farmer used a machine to grain out the wheat. (To extract the seeds from the plant.)
Related Idioms

  • Take something with a grain of salt: to view something with skepticism.

    • You should take his advice with a grain of salt. (Do not believe it completely.)

  • A grain of mustard seed: a small thing that has great potential.

    • Her idea was like a grain of mustard seed that grew into a huge project. (A small start with big results.)