churn

[ churn ]

noun

1. a container or machine in which cream or milk is agitated to make butter.
2. any of various containers or machines similar in shape or action to a butter churn, as a device for mixing beverages.
3. British. a large milk can.
4. an act of churning stocks by a stockbroker.
5. churn rate ( defs 1, 2 ).

verb (used with object)

1. to agitate in order to make into butter:

   to churn cream.

2. to make (butter) by the agitation of cream.
3. to shake or agitate with violence or continued motion:

   The storm churned the sea.

   Synonyms: convulse, toss, whip

4. to turn over and over in the mind:

   His brain slowly churned all the choices and possibilities.

5. (of a stockbroker) to trade (a customer's securities) excessively in order to earn more in commissions.

verb (used without object)

1. to operate a churn.
2. to move or shake in agitation, as a liquid or any loose matter:

   The leaves churned along the ground.

3. to be changing rapidly or be in a confused state:

   Her emotions churned as she viewed the horrific photos.

4. to have a queasy feeling, as from anxiety or disgust:

   My insides were churning at the thought of being on stage.

5. (of a stockbroker) to engage in the practice of churning.

verb phrase

1. to produce mechanically, hurriedly, or routinely:

   He was hired to churn out verses for greeting cards.

churn

/ tʃɜːn /

noun

1. a large container for milk
2. a vessel or machine in which cream or whole milk is vigorously agitated to produce butter
3. any similar device
4. the number of customers who switch from one supplier to another

verb

1. 1. to stir or agitate (milk or cream) in order to make butter
   2. to make (butter) by this process
2. sometimes foll by up to move or cause to move with agitation

   ideas churned in his head

3. (of a bank, broker, etc) to encourage an investor or policyholder to change investments, endowment policies, etc, to increase commissions at the client's expense
4. (of a government) to pay benefits to a wide category of people and claw it back by taxation from the well off
5. to promote the turnover of existing subscribers leasing, and new subscribers joining, a cable television system or mobile phone company

Derived Forms

• ˈchurner, noun

Other Words From

• churn·a·ble adjective
• churn·a·bil·i·ty [chur-n, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], noun
• churn·er noun
• un·churn verb (used with object)
• un·churned adjective
• well-churned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of churn¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun chirne, cherne, Old English cyrne cyr(i)n; cognate with Middle Low German kerne, Old Norse kjarni, kirna

Word History and Origins

Origin of churn¹

Old English ciern; related to Old Norse kjarni, Middle Low German kerne churn, German dialect Kern cream

Example Sentences

This technology is also used to predict outcomes, such as churn rates and the potential revenue a business could earn from a particular segment of customers.

From Search Engine Land

Zuora, which makes a business out of selling subscription technology to different sectors, released its Subscription Economy Index across 1,000 clients last week and found that the pandemic has not increased churn rates for publishers.

From Digiday

It has more than a million subscribers and an impressively low churn rate.

From Fortune

That constant churn can make it difficult to figure out when a new card is really a big jump over what came before it.

From Popular-Science

This way, you can improve anything from increasing viewership on your blog to reducing customer churn.

From Search Engine Watch

Egg-laying hens are placed in cages to unnaturally churn out egg after egg.

From The Daily Beast

Colleges churn out graduates and confer advanced degrees, but the scramble for jobs continues.

From The Daily Beast

Entrepreneurial churn at a large newspaper keeps institutions fresher and individual talents nimbler.

From The Daily Beast

In that industry, the financial churn that helps democracy thrive is alive and well among current—and former—stars.

From The Daily Beast

Academics these days operate under enormous pressure to churn out high volumes of these publications.

From The Daily Beast

I don't forget how I used to have to churn in a dash-churn, till my arms ached fit to drop off.

From Project Gutenberg

Martha laughed, and rolling the big, barrel-churn upon its side was more than delighted to see it fall apart, useless.

From Project Gutenberg

Mother thinks a dash-churn, stand and flap the dasher straight up and down till your arms and legs give out, is the best kind.

From Project Gutenberg

He strolled casually down to a rude stone wall and watched the tractor churn toward him.

From Project Gutenberg

This sour cream is put into the churn, and worked in the usual way until the butter separates.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• boil
• bubble
• simmer
• swirl