kirn

¹ American  

[kurn, kirn] / kɜrn, kɪrn /

verb (used with or without object)

1. to churn.

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noun

1. a churn.

kirn ² American  

[kurn, kirn] / kɜrn, kɪrn /

noun

Scot. and North England.

1. a harvest celebration; a feast or party celebrating a successful harvest.

2. the harvesting of the last handful of oats, wheat, or other grain, noting either the end of the harvest season or the winning of a race against other reapers.

3. the last handful of oats, wheat, or other grain that is gathered in the harvest.

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Etymology

Origin of kirn¹

1300–50; Middle English kirne (noun) < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse kirnuaskr a churn; cognate with churn

Origin of kirn²

First recorded in 1770–80; origin uncertain; perhaps akin to corn ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kirn

In Arco's example of an artificial-language, plurals end in s, numerals must follow nouns and kirn, kima, kime, kimi mean who, whose, to whom, and whom.

From Time Magazine Archive

Ye ser'd me as the wife did the cat—coost me into the kirn, and syne harl'd me out again.

From The Proverbs of Scotland by Hislop, Alexander

Thence countra wives, wi' toil an' pain, May plunge an' plunge the kirn in vain: For, oh! the yellow treasure's taen                    By witching skill An' dawtit, twal-pint hawkie's gaen                    As yell's the bill.

From The Humorous Poetry of the English Language; from Chaucer to Saxe by Parton, James

James turned round, and, with a smile that was gradually acquiring breadth, said that he was "thinkin aboot Tam Brodie and the kirn."

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 13 by Various

But the wee bannock hopped round to the other side of the kirn, and the Goodwife after it.

From The Scottish Fairy Book by Grierson, Elizabeth Wilson