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grain

grain, seed

noun GRAHN Less Common
Food & Drink Ingredients

Also means

granule, speck

Usage Note

Grain covers both a grain of wheat and a speck of something fine — un grain de sable ('a grain of sand'), un grain de sel ('a pinch of salt'). The expression mettre son grain de sel means to put in one's two cents uninvited. Un grain can also refer to a squall at sea in nautical contexts.

Examples

"Un grain de café parfume toute la pièce."

Natural Translation

A coffee bean fills the whole room with fragrance.

Literal Translation

A grain of coffee perfumes the whole room.

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