grime

[grahym]

noun

1. dirt, soot, or other filthy matter, especially adhering to or embedded in a surface.

2. a style of music influenced by rap, ragga, etc., and characterized by lyrics and imagery that reference the dark side of urban life.

verb (used with object)

grimed, griming 

1. to cover with dirt; make very dirty; soil.

grime

/ ɡraɪm /

noun

1. dirt, soot, or filth, esp when thickly accumulated or ingrained

2. a genre of music originating in the East End of London and combining elements of garage, hip-hop, rap, and jungle

verb

1. (tr) to make dirty or coat with filth

Other Word Forms

• ungrimed adjective
• grimy adjective
• griminess noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of grime¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English grim; apparently special use of Old English grīma “mask,” to denote layer of dust; compare dialectal Dutch grijm

Word History and Origins

Origin of grime¹

C15: from Middle Dutch grime; compare Flemish grijm, Old English grīma mask

Example Sentences

Penelope stood and did her best to brush the grime off the love seat.

Read more on Literature

Even through a coat of grime the slapdash quality of the paintings was evident, with their stiff, awkwardly posed figures and dizzying parade of symbols.

Read more on Literature

These people have nothing, but they show up at the juke joint and you see the sweat and grit and grime on the clothes next to people who made a nice dress.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Following so many years of sweaty anti-heroes grimacing through dim spaces or slugging it out in grime, the Sheridan-influenced West is an unspoiled treasure worth fighting over.

Read more on Salon

Led by keyboard player Paul Copeland, the group were praised for a "bold, genre-blending record" with elements of jazz, hip-hop, psychedelia and grime.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• dust 
• filth 
• muck 
• soot