grain
grain — noun
1. one of the tiny edible seeds that food plants produce — including wheat, rice, c
one of the tiny edible seeds that food plants produce — including wheat, rice, corn, and barley; also, these seeds thought of as a group when harvested: 'The country exports millions of tons of grain each year.'
Farmers in the region store their grain in large metal silos after the harvest.
uncountable: grain as a crop stored in silos
A sparrow picked up a grain of rice that had fallen on the kitchen floor.
countable: a grain of [specific plant]
Whole grains such as brown rice, oats, and quinoa are rich in fiber.
collocation: whole grains
Andrew spilled a bag of grain while filling the chicken feeder this morning.
The old windmill still grinds local grain into flour for the village bakery.
- whole grain
- grain harvest
- grain silo
- grain mill
- grain production
- grain crop
Grammar Patterns
grain of [specific plant]
grain + noun (grain silo, grain harvest)
Usage Note
This sense can be countable (a single seed: 'a grain of wheat') or uncountable (the crop in general: 'grain prices are rising'). In everyday conversation, the uncountable use is more common.
Common Mistakes
2. a tiny hard fragment or crystal of a substance, especially one that is normally
a tiny hard fragment or crystal of a substance, especially one that is normally found in powder or granular form: 'A grain of sand blew into her eye.'
A grain of sand lodged in Talia's eye and made it water all afternoon.
a grain of [substance]
Meera added a few grains of salt to the soup to bring out the flavor.
The biologist placed a single grain of pollen under the microscope for examination.
Each grain of sugar dissolved quickly when Lucía stirred her hot tea.
Fine grains of dust floated in the sunlight streaming through the old window.
- a grain of sand
- a grain of salt
- a grain of pollen
- a grain of dust
Grammar Patterns
a grain of [substance]
Usage Note
Commonly used with substances that naturally form small separate particles: sand, salt, sugar, pollen, dust. The pattern 'a grain of [substance]' is highly productive.
Common Mistakes
3. the smallest possible amount of a quality or feeling — typically truth, sense, h
the smallest possible amount of a quality or feeling — typically truth, sense, honesty, or decency — often used in negative statements or questions to emphasize that none exists: 'There is not a grain of truth in that rumor.'
There is not a grain of truth in the rumor Defne spread about her coworker.
negative: not a grain of truth
If you had a grain of common sense, you would never walk home alone after dark.
conditional: a grain of [quality]
His apology did not contain a single grain of sincerity, which upset everyone.
Élise argued that the proposal lacked even a grain of originality.
Noa added a grain of humor to her presentation and the whole team laughed.
- a grain of truth
- a grain of sense
- a grain of honesty
- a grain of decency
Grammar Patterns
a grain of [abstract quality]
not a grain of [quality]
Usage Note
Overwhelmingly used in negative contexts ('not a grain of'), questions ('is there a grain of?'), or conditionals ('if you had a grain of'). The most common collocation is 'a grain of truth', often appearing in the phrase 'take it with a grain of salt' (meaning: do not believe it completely).
Common Mistakes
4. the visible pattern of tiny specks that form a picture on a photo or a strip of
the visible pattern of tiny specks that form a picture on a photo or a strip of film; the pattern becomes more obvious when the picture is made larger: 'The old film's heavy grain gave the pictures a cozy, old-fashioned feel.'
The old photograph had visible grain that gave it a nostalgic, old-fashioned look.
Yuki adjusted the camera settings to reduce the digital grain in her night-time shots.
digital grain in photography
Film grain becomes much more noticeable when you print a picture at poster size.
Some photographers add grain to their digital images on purpose for an artistic effect.
- film grain
- digital grain
- visible grain
- heavy grain
- grain pattern
Grammar Patterns
film grain
grain in [photo/film]
Usage Note
In traditional photography, grain refers to the physical silver-halide crystals in film emulsion. In digital photography, the equivalent phenomenon is called 'digital noise', though 'grain' is often used casually for both.
Common Mistakes
5. the natural arrangement of fibers or threads in wood, cloth, leather, or stone,
the natural arrangement of fibers or threads in wood, cloth, leather, or stone, visible as lines or a pattern on the surface: 'The carpenter cut the board along the grain to prevent splitting.'
Folake chose a dining table with a beautiful oak grain that ran in sweeping curves.
wood grain pattern
When sanding the wood, always work in the direction of the grain to avoid scratches.
direction: with the grain
Lien cut the fabric along the grain so that the dress would hang properly.
Each piece of mahogany has a unique grain pattern and is one of a kind.
The leather wallet had a smooth natural grain that softened with use over time.
leather grain
- wood grain
- with the grain
- against the grain
- grain pattern
- grain direction
- natural grain
- texture
focuses on how the surface feels to touch rather than the visible line pattern
- fibre (fibers)
the individual strands that create the grain; more technical
- pattern
general term for the visible design; less specific than 'grain' for natural materials
Grammar Patterns
grain of [wood/leather/fabric]
against the grain
with the grain
Usage Note
The phrase 'against the grain' has both a literal meaning (cutting or sanding across the fiber direction, which damages the surface) and a figurative meaning (doing something that feels unnatural or goes against one's character): 'It goes against the grain for him to lie.'
Common Mistakes
❌ 'This wood has a nice grain of truth.' — mixing two senses; 'grain of truth' belongs to sense 3 (abstract amount), not wood texture.
6. a tiny measure of weight from an older counting system, equal to about 0.0648 gr
a tiny measure of weight from an older counting system, equal to about 0.0648 grams; in the past it was used for medicines, valuable metals, and ammunition: 'The old recipe called for ten grains of powdered willow bark.'
The pharmacist measured the ingredients in grains, following a recipe from the 1800s.
historical measurement unit
A single grain is roughly the weight of a small drop of water.
In older ammunition catalogs, bullets were often listed by their weight in grains.
Modern chefs never use grains as a unit; they rely on grams and milliliters instead.
Grammar Patterns
[number] grains [of [substance]]
Usage Note
This unit is almost never used in everyday modern contexts. Learners will mainly encounter it in historical texts, antique recipes, or ammunition specifications. The symbol for grain is 'gr'.
To act in a way that is unusual or not accepted by most people.
Maya went against the grain by quitting her job to travel.
Does it go against the grain for you to ask for help?
To not completely believe what someone says because it might be untrue.
Brian took the rumors with a grain of salt until he saw proof.
You should take his advice with a grain of salt; he is not an expert.
grain — verb
1. to fix or press a belief, habit, or quality deeply into someone's mind or charac
to fix or press a belief, habit, or quality deeply into someone's mind or character, or into a material surface: 'A respect for hard work was grained into him from childhood.'
Years of disciplined practice had grained the pianist's techniques into her muscle memory.
passive: grained into [someone]
The local customs are deeply grained in the community's way of life.
passive: deeply grained in
That teacher's values were grained into every lesson she gave.
A love of reading was grained in Christopher from the age of four.
- deeply grained
- grained in
- grained into
- ingrain (engrain)
the more common spelling of the same verb
- implant
suggests deliberate installation of an idea or habit; slightly more active
- embed
focuses on something being fixed firmly within a surrounding mass
Grammar Patterns
grain [something] in/into [something]
Usage Note
This verb is very rare in modern English. The more common spelling is 'ingrain' (or 'engrain'). When used, it is almost always in the passive or past participle form ('ingrained').
Common Mistakes
2. to turn a substance, such as a powder or metal, into small separate grains or cr
to turn a substance, such as a powder or metal, into small separate grains or crystals: 'The factory machines grain the raw sugar by spinning it in a centrifuge.'
The factory machines grain the raw sugar by spinning it at high speed.
transitive: grain [substance]
Chemists can grain certain metal powders by cooling the molten material slowly.
The new equipment grains the chemical into fine particles for easier packaging.
Jason's team developed a method to grain the mineral extract into a usable powder.
- granulate
the standard modern term for forming into grains
- crystallize
forms crystals rather than amorphous grains; more specific
- dissolve
to turn a solid into a liquid, the opposite of forming grains
Grammar Patterns
grain [substance]
Usage Note
This is a technical or manufacturing term. In everyday language, 'granulate' is more common. Learners rarely need this sense.
3. to paint a surface so that it looks like the natural grain pattern found in timb
to paint a surface so that it looks like the natural grain pattern found in timber or rock: 'The decorator grained the metal door to look like oak.'
The decorator grained the cheap metal door so it resembled expensive oak.
A skilled painter can grain ordinary plaster to imitate marble or mahogany.
grain [surface] to imitate [material]
The carpenter grained the new pine shelf to match the old walnut cabinet.
Defne learned to grain furniture during her apprenticeship at the workshop.
Grammar Patterns
grain [surface]
Usage Note
This is a specialized term from the decorative painting trade. The more common modern description is 'faux wood painting' or 'faux finishing'.
4. to form into small separate grains or become granular in texture: 'If the syrup
to form into small separate grains or become granular in texture: 'If the syrup is stirred as it cools, it grains evenly rather than forming large lumps.'
If the syrup is stirred while it cools, it grains evenly without forming lumps.
intransitive: [substance] grains
The chemical grained into a fine powder when left in a dry room for days.
The mixture grains naturally if left undisturbed overnight.
As the honey aged and lost moisture, it began to grain at the bottom.
- granulate
the standard modern term for this process
- crystallize
forms distinct crystals rather than grains
- dissolve
to become liquid, the opposite of forming grains
Grammar Patterns
[substance] grains [adverb]
Usage Note
This is the intransitive counterpart of verb sense 2. In both cases, 'granulate' is a much more common alternative in modern English.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
'Grain' is the broadest everyday term for the small hard seeds of food plants. It can be uncountable ('a shipment of grain') or countable ('a grain of rice'). 'Cereal' is more formal and refers either to the cultivated grass plants themselves ('cereal crops') or to processed breakfast food ('a bowl of cereal'). 'Kernel' names a single seed inside a hard outer shell, especially for corn or wheat — it emphasizes the seed as a distinct physical unit. 'Seed' is the most general term, covering all reproductive plant parts, including those not eaten as food (flower seeds, tree seeds). 'Corn' has different meanings across dialects: in American English it refers specifically to maize, while in British English it is a general term for any cereal grain (wheat, barley, oats). Example: 'Farmers planted grain in the north field and corn in the south field.' sounds natural in the UK but confusing in the US. Choose 'grain' when you need a neutral, widely understood term for edible seeds.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'grain' comes via Old French 'grain' (seed, kernel) from Latin 'grānum' (a seed, a kernel). The Latin root is related to 'corn' (which originally meant any small hard seed or grain) and to the ancient Indo-European root *ǵrh₂-nó-m, meaning 'ripe, aged' — from the idea of a seed that has matured. From the same family come 'granary' (a grain storehouse), 'granule' (a small grain), 'granite' (named for its grainy texture), and 'pomegranate' (from Latin 'pōmum grānātum' — 'seeded apple'). The sense 'texture of wood' appeared in the 1600s, and the photography sense followed in the late 1800s with the invention of film.