I. ˈsand, ˈsaa(ə)nd noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English sond, sand, from Old English; akin to Old High German sant sand, Old Norse sandr, Latin sabulum, Greek psammos sand, psēphos pebble, psēn to rub, Sanskrit babhasti he chews
1.
a.
(1) : a loose material consisting of small but easily distinguishable grains usually less than two millimeters in diameter, most commonly of quartz resulting from the disintegration of rocks, and commonly used for making mortar and glass, as an abrasive, or for molds in founding
(2) : a mass of this material especially on a beach or a desert
b. : a most unstable material or medium that will make futile all effort or endeavor
be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand — Mt 7:26 (Revised Standard Version)
2.
a. : a tract, region, or deposit of sand : beach , shore — often used in plural
we shall fight them on the sands — Sir Winston Churchill
b. : a sand bank or sand bar — often used in plural
c. : a grain of sand — often used in plural
d. : sandy soil — often used in plural
3.
a. : the sand in an hourglass ; also : a grain of it
b.
(1) : a moment or interval of time
(2) : the moments of an existence or a life — usually used in plural
the sands of this government run out very rapidly — H.J.Laski
4. : a sandstone or unconsolidated sand formation containing oil : an oil-producing formation
can produce oil from one sand and gas from another in the same well — W.F.Cloud
5. : firm resolution : courage , stamina
hasn't got sand enough to talk back to her
6. : a variable color averaging a yellowish gray that is darker and slightly greener and stronger than average natural and redder and deeper than ivory tint
7. : gritty particles in various body tissues or fluids — compare brain sand
8. : tailings especially from a cyanide mill or stamp mill
9. : a circular footscraping used as a jazz dance step
doing a slow sand on the uncarpeted section of the floor — Eugene Brown
Synonyms: see fortitude
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English sanden, from sand, n.
1. : to sprinkle or powder with or as if with sand
sanded the ink to dry it and sealed the letter
100 miles of public road will remain to be plowed and sanded — David Anderson
a clear night sanded with stars — R.H.Newman
2. : to cover with sand: as
a. : to fill (as harbors) with sand especially by the action of currents
b. : to treat (as clay soil) with an overspread layer of sand
3. : to adulterate with sand for purposes of fraud
4. : to smooth by grinding or rubbing with an abrasive ; specifically : to rub or polish with sandpaper
the stain … will have to be sanded out — Erle Stanley Gardner