Meaning & Definition of word "Churn"

Churn

/tʃɜrn/

noun:

  • 1. a machine used for churning milk or cream to make butter.
    • Example: They used a traditional churn to make homemade butter.
  • 2. the rate at which customers or subscribers leave a service or account, reflected in their turnover.
    • Example: The company is worried about the high churn in their subscription service.

verb:

  • 1. to shake or stir (a liquid) vigorously, especially in making butter or cheese.
    • Example: They churn the cream in an old-fashioned butter churn.
  • 2. to undergo a continuous change or movement, often in a rapid or tumultuous manner.
    • Example: The company's customer base tends to churn as new competitors enter the market.
  • 3. to produce or create in large quantities, especially in a repetitive way.
    • Example: The factory churns out thousands of toys each day.

Etymology

Middle English 'chirnen', of unknown origin.

Common Phrases and Expressions

churn and burn:

To work with high intensity but low quality, often leading to quick burnout.

churn out:

To produce something quickly and in large quantities.

churn up:

To disturb or agitate something, generally in a messy way.

Related Words

butter:

A dairy product made by churning cream.

agitate:

To stir up or disturb.

Slang Meanings of churn

Meaning: To churn out content quickly.

Example Sentence: He just churned out a bunch of articles in one day.

Meaning: To change partners frequently in dating.

Example Sentence: He's been churning through dates this month.