# graining

Pronunciation: say "GRAYN-ing" /ˈɡɹeɪnɪŋ/

## Noun

1. The decorative technique of painting a surface to imitate the look of natural wood grain.
   - Simple: Painting a surface so that it looks like real wood.
   - _The decorator's graining turned the plain pine door into convincing oak._
   - _Restorers matched the new graining to the room's original woodwork._
3. Indentation, roughening, or milling worked into a surface, such as the fine ridges around the edge of a coin.
   - Simple: Small ridges or rough lines worked into a surface, like those on the edge of a coin.
   - _Collectors examine the graining along a coin's edge for signs of wear or tampering._
   - _Fine graining on the steel plate gave it a secure, non-slip grip._
4. A stage in dressing leather in which the hide is softened and its natural surface pattern is raised.
   - Simple: A step in preparing leather that softens the skin and brings up its natural surface pattern.
   - _The tanner judged the leather ready only after the graining had raised its surface pattern._
   - _Poor graining leaves the hide stiff and its surface flat._
5. The process of separating finished soap from the spent lye, usually by adding salt.
   - Simple: A step in making soap that uses salt to separate the soap from the leftover liquid.
   - _The soap boiler added salt to begin the graining and lift the curds clear of the lye._
   - _Careful graining removes most of the impurities from each batch of soap._
6. A small European freshwater fish (Leuciscus leuciscus), also known as the dace or dobule.
   - Simple: A small freshwater fish found in European rivers, also called the dace.
   - _Anglers on the chalk streams often hook a graining while fishing for trout._
   - _The graining feeds on insects and small creatures near the riverbed._

## Verb

2. Present participle of grain. — present participle and gerund of grain
   - Simple: Present participle of grain. Use this form for the action as it is happening.
   - _By graining the pine, the decorator made it pass for mahogany._
   - _The apprentice is graining the cheaper panels before they are varnished._

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/graining (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).