screed

Screed is a noun with multiple, distinct meanings in different contexts.

In construction and civil engineering, a screed refers to a layer of material—commonly cement, concrete, gypsum, or lime—applied to create a flat, level surface on floors or walls. The screed layer is laid over a prepared base and finished with tools such as trowels or screed boards. Self-leveling screeds are flowable mixes that spread and settle to a smooth plane before curing. A screed can also denote the tool used to strike off excess material and bring the surface to the desired level.

In rhetoric and writing, screed denotes a long, often vehement or tedious discourse or piece of writing, typically a rant or polemic. This usage is generally negative, referring to extended, single-minded arguments or criticisms presented with force or pedantry.

Usage notes: Screed can be used as a countable noun (a screed) or to refer to the practice of screeding in construction, though the two senses are unrelated beyond the shared term. The construction sense and the rhetorical sense constitute separate domains of meaning that happen to share the same word.