I. ˈgrān noun
Etymology: Middle English, partly from Anglo-French grain cereal grain, from Latin granum; partly from Anglo-French graine seed, kermes, from Latin grana, plural of granum — more at corn
Date: 14th century
1.
a.
(1) obsolete : a single small hard seed
(2) : a seed or fruit of a cereal grass : caryopsis
b. : the seeds or fruits of various food plants including the cereal grasses and in commercial and statutory usage other plants (as the soybean)
c. : plants producing grain
2.
a.
(1) : a small hard particle or crystal
(2) : any of the particles produced in a photographic material by its development ; also : the size of such grains in the aggregate
(3) : an individual crystal in a metal
b. : a minute portion or particle
c. : the least amount possible
a grain of truth
3.
a. : kermes or a scarlet dye made from it
b. : cochineal or a brilliant scarlet dye made from it
c. : a fast dye
d. archaic : color , tint
4.
a. : a granulated surface or appearance
b. : the outer or hair side of a skin or hide
5. : a unit of weight based on the weight of a grain of wheat taken as an average of the weight of grains from the middle of the ear — see weight table
6.
a. : the stratification of the wood fibers in a piece of wood
b. : a texture due to constituent particles or fibers
the grain of a rock
c. : the direction of threads in cloth
7. : tactile quality
8.
a. : natural disposition : temper
lying goes against my grain
b. : a basic or characteristic quality
c. : a prevalent ideology or convention
teaching against the grain
• grained ˈgrānd adjective
• grain·less adjective
II. verb
Date: 1530
transitive verb
1. : ingrain
2. : to form into grains : granulate
3. : to paint in imitation of the grain of wood or stone
4. : to feed with grain
intransitive verb
: to become granular : granulate
• grain·er noun