noun / verb
sand
SAND/sænd/
Fine loose grains of rock used as an abrasive.
The fine sand streams through the hand in loose, abrasive grains.
Etymology
Old English sand already named this granular material, though historically its boundary with gravel was less distinct. Its deeper ancestry is disputed, so an original meaning connected with rubbing is not secure.
In context
two people have a better chance of picking out the same grain of sand from all the beaches and deserts on earth than by escaping this way.
More examples
- The worker uses sand to blast rust off the metal.
- Sand the rough edges before you paint the frame.
- We sanded the old finish off the table.
Forms
sand · sands · sanded · sanding