What does "manure" mean?
Animal excrement, especially that of common domestic farm animals and when used as fertilizer. Generally speaking, from cows, horses, sheep, pigs and chickens.
Manure
/məˈnjʊə/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Animal excrement, especially that of common domestic farm animals and when used as fertilizer. Generally speaking, from cows, horses, sheep, pigs and chickens.
- Grammar: manure is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: amend, ammonia, bm, bowel movement.
- Useful contrasts: deplete, exhaust.
- Usage evidence: Knowledge is like manure, it's only good when spread.
How to use "manure"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "manure" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "manure" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "manure" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "manure" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "manure" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "amend" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "manure", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Animal excrement, especially that of common domestic farm animals and when used as fertilizer. Generally speaking, from cows, horses, sheep, pigs and chickens. countable, uncountable
"1985, Biff Tannen (portrayed by Thomas F. Wilson), Back to the Future. I hate manure!"
- 2 any animal or plant material used to fertilize land especially animal excreta usually with litter material wordnet
- 3 Any fertilizing substance, whether of animal origin or not; fertiliser. broadly, countable, uncountable
"vegetable manure [= green manure]"
- 4 Rubbish; nonsense; bullshit. countable, euphemistic, uncountable
"“You know the police think I killed Marge, don't you?” “What a load of manure! I couldn't believe it when I read the paper.”"
Verb
- 1 To cultivate by manual labor; to till; hence, to develop by culture. archaic, literary
"A woman that wandring in our coaſtes hath bought / A plot for price: where ſhe a citie ſet: / To whom we gaue the ſtrond for to manure."
- 2 spread manure, as for fertilization wordnet
- 3 To apply manure (as fertilizer or soil improver).
"The farmer manured his fallow field."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Knowledge is like manure, it's only good when spread."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "manure"?
Common synonyms include: amend, ammonia, bm, bowel movement, buffalo chips, ca-ca.
How do you use "manure" in a sentence?
Knowledge is like manure, it's only good when spread.
How do you pronounce "manure"?
Pronounced /məˈnjʊə/.
Etymology
From Middle English maynouren, manuren (“to supervise, toil”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman meinourer and Old French manovrer (whence also English maneuver, or in French manœuvrer) from Vulgar Latin *manuoperare (“work by hand”), from Latin manū (“by hand”) + operārī (“to work”).