sand

Less common meanings

4. 4
   beige (describing)adjective

   Having a pale tan color, like that of most sand.

   She wore a sand jacket with brown buttons.

   The new car comes in a sand finish.

   Similarbeige, tan, fawn, buff, sandy

5. 5
   noununcountable

   A pale tan color, like that of most sand.

   Like the pale brown of dry beach sand.

   She painted the bedroom walls a soft sand.

   The new sofa came in a warm shade of sand.

   Similarbeige, tan, fawn, buff

6. 6
   cover with gritverbtransitive

   To spread sand over something so that it is covered.

   Like sprinkling flour over a tray until it covers the bottom.

   City crews sand the roads whenever they get icy.

   They sanded the slippery path right after the storm.

   Similargrit

   Note
7. 7
   timenounfigurativelycountable

   A moment or stretch of time, pictured as grains slipping through a glass timer.

   Like grains slipping through a glass timer: once they fall, that time is gone.

   The sands of summer were running out, and school would start soon.

   Watching her children grow up, she could feel the sands slipping away.

   UsageOften said as the sands of time.

   Note
8. 8
   eye crustnoununcountable

   Dried bits of mucus that gather in the corner of the eye after sleep.

   Like tiny crumbs that gather in your eyes while you sleep.

   She rubbed the sand from her eyes the moment she woke up.

   There was sand in the corners of his eyes after his nap.

   UsagePeople rub the sand out of their eyes after sleeping.

   Similarsleep, gunk

   Note
9. 9
   nounobsoletecountable

   A single tiny grain of sand.

   One sand another. Not more resembles that sweet rosy lad

   1611, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”Here, sand means a single tiny grain of sand.

   Note
10. 10
    sleepy feelingnounfigurativelyuncountable

    A sleepy feeling that makes your eyes feel heavy, as if sand were in them.

    Like the heavy feeling in your eyes when you really need to sleep.

    By midnight the sand was in her eyes and she could barely stay awake.

    By the third bedtime story, my eyes were full of sand.

    Similardrowsiness, sleepiness, sleep

    Note
11. 11
    couragenoundateduncountable

    Strong courage and the will to keep going when things are hard.

    Like the brave feeling that helps you do something scary anyway.

    It takes real sand to stand up to a bully.

    There was youngsters all around him, and he stood there lookin’ at me and never turned a hair. He had sand, that Morrell.

    1979, Louis L'Amour, Bendigo ShafterHere, sand means courage and the will to keep going.

    UsageSay someone has sand, meaning they are brave.

    Similargrit

    Oppositecowardice, timidity

    Note
12. 12
    blot inkverbhistoricaltransitive

    To dry wet ink by sprinkling sand over it.

    Like dusting powder over wet ink to soak it up quickly.

    The clerk would sand each letter before folding it.

    The officer wrote until he had finished, read over to himself what he had written, sanded it, and handed it to Defarge, with the words "In secret."

    1859, Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two CitiesHere, sanded means dried the wet ink by sprinkling sand on it.

    Similarblot

    Note
13. 13
    nouncolloquial

    Short for sandpiper. A casual name for a small bird that looks for food along the shore.