[ɡreɪn], (Noun)

Definitions:
- wheat or any other cultivated cereal used as food

- a single fruit or seed of a cereal
(e.g: a few grains of corn)

- the smallest unit of weight in the troy and avoirdupois systems, equal to 1/5760 of a pound troy and 1/7000 of a pound avoirdupois (approximately 0.0648 gram)

- the longitudinal arrangement or pattern of fibres in wood, paper, etc.
(e.g: he scored along the grain of the table with the knife)

- a person's character or natural tendency

- kermes or cochineal, or dye made from either of these


Phrases:
- against the grain

Origin:
Middle English (originally in the sense ‘seed, grain of corn’): from Old French grain, from Latin granum

[ɡreɪn], (Verb)

Definitions:
- give a rough surface or texture to
(e.g: her fingers were grained with chalk dust)

- paint (something, especially furniture or interior surfaces) in imitation of the grain of wood or marble
(e.g: what is the use of having natural wood when you can grain it like that?)

- remove hair from (a hide)

- feed (a horse) on grain


Phrases:
- against the grain

Origin:
Middle English (originally in the sense ‘seed, grain of corn’): from Old French grain, from Latin granum