Any small hard mass; as a grain of sand or gravel. Hence,

A single seed or hard seed of a plant, particularly of those kinds whose seeds are used for food of man or beast. This is usually inclosed in a proper shell or covered with a husk, and contains the embryo of a new plant. Hence,

Grain, without a definitive, signifies corn in general, or the fruit of certain plants which constitutes the chief food of man and beast, as wheat, rye, barley, oats and maiz.

A minute particle.

A small weight, or the smallest weight ordinarily used, being the twentieth part of the scruple in apothecaries’ weight, and the twenty fourth of a pennyweight troy.

A component part of stones and metals.

The veins or fibers of wood or other fibrous substance; whence, cross-grained, and against the grain.

The body or substance of wood as modified by the fibers. Hard box, and linden of a softer grain.

The body or substance of a thing considered with respect to the size, form or direction of the constituent particles; as stones of a fine grain. The tooth of a sea-horse, contains a curdled grain.

Any thing proverbially small; a very small particle or portion; as a grain of wit or of common sense. Neglect not to make use of any grain of grace.

Dyed or stained substance. All in a robe of darkest grain.

The direction of the fibers of wood or other fibrous substance; hence the phrase, against the grain, applied to animals, that is, against their natural tempers.

The heart or temper; as brothers not united in grain.

The form of the surface of any thing with respect to smoothness or roughness; state of the grit of any body composed of grains; as sandstone of a fine grain.

A tine, prong or spike. A grain of allowance, a small allowance or indulgence; a small portion to be remitted; something above or below just weight. To dye in grain, is to dye in the raw material, as wool or silk before it is manufactured.

To yield fruit.

for groan.