grime

American  

[grahym] / graɪm /

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.

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verb (used with object)

grimed, griming

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

grime British  

/ 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

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

• griminess noun
• grimy adjective
• ungrimed adjective

Etymology

Origin of grime

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

Example Sentences

Then I sat in my room and felt the liquid slowly drying, getting tighter and tighter, joining with my skin so that my entire face was being transformed into a grime repellent.

From Literature

I wore a threadbare coat that bore grease stains on the arms, and my cheeks were smudged brown with dirt and grime.

From Literature

He was freezing cold and caked in grime and sure of absolutely nothing except that he had just made a series of horrible mistakes, each worse than the last.

From Literature

In her refusal to shy away from the grime and grit of Yuknavitch’s story, Stewart creates a startlingly raw atmosphere that ricochets between discordant and truly inspiring.

From Salon

Irish rap trio Kneecap, pop singer Jade and grime artist Skepta are also on the bill across the weekend, alongside US singers Sombr and Role Model.

From BBC

Related Words

• dust
• filth
• muck
• soot