Churn
/tʃɜrn/
Meaning & Definition
noun
a machine used for churning milk or cream to make butter.
They used a traditional churn to make homemade butter.
the rate at which customers or subscribers leave a service or account, reflected in their turnover.
The company is worried about the high churn in their subscription service.
verb
to shake or stir (a liquid) vigorously, especially in making butter or cheese.
They churn the cream in an old-fashioned butter churn.
to undergo a continuous change or movement, often in a rapid or tumultuous manner.
The company's customer base tends to churn as new competitors enter the market.
to produce or create in large quantities, especially in a repetitive way.
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
To churn out content quickly.
He just churned out a bunch of articles in one day.
To change partners frequently in dating.
He's been churning through dates this month.