grains

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of grain. Use this form when you mean more than one grain.

   A few grains of sand stuck to her wet feet.

   He poured the rice into a jar, spilling a few grains on the floor.

   Note
2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of grain. Use this form with he, she, or it.

   The painter grains the plain pine door so it looks like oak.

   She grains the soft leather to give it a rough surface.

   Note
3. 3
   nounplural

   Pigeon droppings used to soften animal skins when making leather.

   The tanner soaked the stiff hides in a bath of grains to make them soft.

   Workers gathered grains from the pigeon loft to use in the tannery.

   Note

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