Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: MEASUREMENT

Date: 1200-1300
Language: Old French
Origin: Latin granum 'seed'

grain

 noun
     
grain
1

food

a) [uncountable]TACDF the seeds of crops such as corn, wheat, or rice that are gathered for use as food, or these crops themselves:
big sacks of grain
Last year's grain harvest was the biggest ever.
b) [countable]TACDF a single seed of corn, wheat etc:
grains of rice
2

lines in wood etc

[singular] the natural lines you can see in a substance such as wood, which are the result of its structure
along the grain (=in the same direction as the grain)
Cut along the grain of the wood.
across the grain (=at 90 degrees to the grain)
3

small piece

[countable] a single very small piece of a substance such as sand or salt
grain of
a grain of sand
There were crumbs and grains of sugar on the table.
4

a grain of something

a very small amount of something:
The story wouldn't have fooled anyone with a grain of sense.
There is a grain of truth in all folklore and legend.
5

against the grain

if something goes against the grain, it is not what you would naturally or normally do:
Mary is always honest and it went against the grain to tell lies.
6

measure

[countable]TM the smallest unit for measuring weight, equal to about 0.06 grams. It is used for weighing medicines

➔ take something with a pinch/grain of salt

at salt1 (3)
Definition of grain from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic MEASUREMENT
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