grain
[noun]
Synonyms:
- cereals, corn
- seed, grist, kernel
- bit, fragment, granule, modicum, morsel, particle, piece, scrap, speck, trace
- texture, fibre, nap, pattern, surface, weave
- go against the grain: inclination, character, disposition, humour, make-up, temper

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

grain /ɡreɪn/ noun
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin granum 'seed']

1. FOOD
a) [uncountable] 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] 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] 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)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

grain
noun
I. seeds of wheat, etc.
VERB + GRAIN grow, produce | sow | store
GRAIN + NOUN harvest, production, yield | exports, imports

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

grain
II. natural pattern of lines in wood
ADJ. fine, smooth | coarse, rough | natural This wood has a beautiful natural grain.
PREP. across/against the ~, along/with the ~ Cut the wood along the grain.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

grain
ɡreɪn
See: against the grain , take with a grain of salt

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲