churn down

Up ahead the trees drew back on either side of the road. What had been some farmer’s hard-won grazeland for cows or sheep had now been flattened and churned down to bare earth by many passing feet.

Source: Cell by Stephen King

What does the verbal phrase churn down mean?

I looked the definitions of the verb churn, but could not figure a matching meaning.

Thank you.

The dirt had been churned (the definition you found is indeed the correct one), thereby wearing it down to bare earth (instead of grassy pasture).

jacdac said:

What does the verbal phrase churn down mean?

It is not a verbal phrase phrasal verb.

Thank you. I still do not get it.

Here are the definitions:

1. [~ + object]to shake, beat, or stir vigorously to make into butter: to churn cream.
2. to shake or move about vigorously or violently: [~ (+ up) + object]The storm churned (up) the sea.[~ + object + up]The storm churned it up.[no object]The sea was churning and the boat rocked back and forth.
3. to have a feeling or sensation as if moving or shaking:[no object]His stomach was churning from anxiety.
4. churn out, to produce quickly as if by machine and in large numbers or great quantity: [~ + out + object]She was churning out numerous articles and book reviews.[~ + object + out]She was churning them out rapidly.

Which one do you have in mind?

Does treading the gazeland cause it to be churned down?


Thank you again.

What used to be rich grassland for cattle to feed on had, over time, been trodden down to bare earth. The word "churn" suggests mud, since you can only churn something fairly liquid in consistency.

NB: It's more usual to use the phrase "churn up", as in definition 2.