churning
[chur-ning]
- the act of a person or thing that churns.
- the butter made at any one time.
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Origin of churning
churn
[churn]
- a container or machine in which cream or milk is agitated to make butter.
- any of various containers or machines similar in shape or action to a butter churn, as a device for mixing beverages.
- British. a large milk can.
- an act of churning stocks by a stockbroker.
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- to agitate in order to make into butter: to churn cream.
- to make (butter) by the agitation of cream.
- to shake or agitate with violence or continued motion: The storm churned the sea.
- to turn over and over in the mind: His brain slowly churned all the choices and possibilities.
- (of a stockbroker) to trade (a customer's securities) excessively in order to earn more in commissions.
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- to operate a churn.
- to move or shake in agitation, as a liquid or any loose matter: The leaves churned along the ground.
- to be changing rapidly or be in a confused state: Her emotions churned as she viewed the horrific photos.
- to have a queasy feeling, as from anxiety or disgust: My insides were churning at the thought of being on stage.
- (of a stockbroker) to engage in the practice of churning.
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- churn out, to produce mechanically, hurriedly, or routinely: He was hired to churn out verses for greeting cards.
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Origin of churn
before 1000; Middle English chirne (noun), Old English cyrne cyr(i)n; cognate with Middle Low German kerne, Old Norse kjarni, kirna
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for churning
Contemporary Examples
Or fast-fashion chains like Zara and H&M churning out runway imitations.
There is all this churning violence out there of which probably 90 percent of Americans are barely aware.
But the proposition had eventually broken apart in the churning, acidic stomach of Washington politics.
Families that do build petty empires flame out, but the grand empire ruled by our churning elites burns on, evidently, forever.
It's easy to slam the studios for churning out crass sequels and safe remakes and endlessly rebootable superhero pictures.
Historical Examples
She heard the clatter of pattens in the room below; it was Nancy churning in the dairy.
The ManxmanHall Caine
That's the churning of the nightjar going up to Ballure glen.
The ManxmanHall Caine
He will charge the boat, and nothing but the churning propeller will keep him from ramming the boat.
Tales of FishesZane Grey
Being as destructive as the poison which was created during the churning of the Amrita.
Russian Fairy TalesW. R. S. Ralston
The proper temperature for churning ranges from 58° to 62° Fahrenheit.
Agriculture for BeginnersCharles William Burkett
churning
- the quantity of butter churned at any one time
- the act, process, or effect of someone or something that churns
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churn
- British a large container for milk
- a vessel or machine in which cream or whole milk is vigorously agitated to produce butter
- any similar device
- the number of customers who switch from one supplier to another
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- to stir or agitate (milk or cream) in order to make butter
- to make (butter) by this process
- (sometimes foll by up) to move or cause to move with agitationideas churned in his head
- (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
- (of a government) to pay benefits to a wide category of people and claw it back by taxation from the well off
- to promote the turnover of existing subscribers leasing, and new subscribers joining, a cable television system or mobile phone company
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Word Origin
Old English ciern; related to Old Norse kjarni, Middle Low German kerne churn, German dialect Kern cream
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for churning
churn
n.
Old English cyrin, from Proto-Germanic *kernjon (cf. Old Norse kirna, Swedish kärna, Danish kjerne, Dutch karn, Middle High German kern); probably akin to cyrnel "kernel" (see kernel) and describing the "grainy" appearance of churned cream.
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churn
v.
mid-15c., chyrnen, from churn (n.). Extended senses are from late 17c. Intransitive sense is from 1735. Related: Churned; churning. To churn out, of writing, is from 1902.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper