Churning is a process that involves the vigorous agitation of a liquid or mixture. It is commonly used in the production of butter, where cream is AGITATED to separate the fat from the liquid. Churning can also be used to mix ingredients together, such as in the making of ice cream. In addition, it is used in the production of cheese and other dairy products. The term 'churning' is derived from the Old English word cyrnan, which means to agitate.