manure

American  

[muh-noor, -nyoor] / məˈnʊər, -ˈnyʊər /

noun

1. excrement, especially of animals, or other refuse used as fertilizer.

2. any natural or artificial substance for fertilizing the soil.

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verb (used with object)

manured, manuring

1. to treat (land) with fertilizing matter; apply manure to.

manure British  

/ məˈnjʊə /

noun

1. animal excreta, usually with straw, used to fertilize land

2. any material, esp chemical fertilizer, used to fertilize land

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verb

1. (tr) to spread manure upon (fields or soil)

Other Word Forms

• manurer noun
• manurial adjective
• manurially adverb
• well-manured adjective

Etymology

Origin of manure

1350–1400; Middle English manouren to till, cultivate < Middle French manouvrer to do manual work. See maneuver

Example Sentences

Carrots and papaya plants have already pushed up through a rectangle of dark soil, thanks to a technique based on organic fertilisers made from a mixture of compost and chicken manure.

From Barron's

The report from environment groups Size of Wales and WWF Cymru says the soy is high in phosphorous, and becomes a pollutant when animal manure spread on land runs off into rivers.

From BBC

I would often fly through the last couple miles at sub-8 minute paces dodging the fake handbag merchants and horse manure overflows that line Central Park South.

From The Wall Street Journal

Having grown up in a family of self-sufficient farmers, Ben was no stranger to being knee deep in manure, or helping his father birth a rotting lamb from inside an ewe.

From BBC

About $26 million went to a program for dairy digesters in the Central Valley, which capture methane from cow manure before it enters the atmosphere.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• compost
• droppings
• dung
• excrement
• mulch