against the grain

1. Opposed to one's inclination or preference, as in We followed the new supervisor's advice, though it went against the grain. This metaphor refers to the natural direction of the fibers in a piece of wood, called its grain; when sawed obliquely, or “against the grain,” the wood will tend to splinter. [c. 1600] For a synonym, see rub the wrong way.

Related Words

• afraid 
• averse 
• compelled 
• evasive 
• forced 
• loath 
• reluctant 
• resistant 
• unenthusiastic