sand

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
sand/sand/

▶noun

• 1 a loose granular substance, typically pale yellowish brown, resulting from the erosion of siliceous and other rocks and forming a major constituent of beaches, river beds, the seabed, and deserts.

  ■ (sands) an expanse of sand.

  ■ technical sediment whose particles are larger than silt.

• 2 N. Amer. informal firmness of purpose.

• 3 a pale yellow-brown colour.

▶verb

• 1 smooth with sandpaper or a sander.

• 2 sprinkle or overlay with sand.

– phrases
drive (or run) (something) into the sand come (or bring something) to a halt.
the sands (of time) are running out the allotted time is nearly at an end. [with ref. to the sand of an hourglass.]

– origin OE, of Gmc origin.