grit

[grit]

noun

1. abrasive particles or granules, as of sand or other small, coarse impurities found in the air, food, water, etc.

2. firmness of character; indomitable spirit; pluck.

   She has a reputation for grit and common sense.

   Synonyms: courage, fortitude, resolution

3. a coarse-grained siliceous rock, usually with sharp, angular grains.

4. British.,  gravel.

5. sand or other fine grainy particles eaten by fowl to aid in digestion.

verb (used with object)

gritted, gritting 

1. to cause to grind or grate together.

verb (used without object)

gritted, gritting 

1. to make a scratchy or slightly grating sound, as of sand being walked on; grate.

grit

¹

/ ɡrɪt /

noun

1. small hard particles of sand, earth, stone, etc

2. Also called: gritstone. any coarse sandstone that can be used as a grindstone or millstone

3. the texture or grain of stone

4. indomitable courage, toughness, or resolution

5. engineering an arbitrary measure of the size of abrasive particles used in a grinding wheel or other abrasive process

verb

1. to clench or grind together (two objects, esp the teeth)

2. to cover (a surface, such as icy roads) with grit

Grit

²

/ ɡrɪt /

noun

1. an informal word for Liberal

Other Word Forms

• gritless adjective
• gritter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of grit¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English gret, griet, grit, Old English grēot; cognate with German Griess, Old Norse grjōt “pebble, boulder”; grits

Word History and Origins

Origin of grit¹

Old English grēot; related to Old Norse grjōt pebble, Old High German grioz; see _great , _groats , _gruel

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. grit one's teeth, to show tenseness, anger, or determination by or as if by clamping or grinding the teeth together.

Example Sentences

To lend a bit of grit to the proceedings, the original bar was put on display and Kristal’s office was assembled in the VIP area.

From Los Angeles Times

Such costs, Roberts warns, are putting "grit" into businesses like his.

From BBC

You could almost hear international observers gritting their teeth and nodding along: No lies detected!

From Salon

As a child, Lulu modelled herself on James Brown and Big Mama Thornton – gritty R&B singers who lent their grit and growl to Lulu's version of Shout.

From BBC

Bordalas represents that other Spain - the combative, uncompromising football that endures through grit.

From BBC

Related Words

• daring 
• fortitude 
• guts www.thesaurus.com
• moxie 
• perseverance 
• spirit 
• spunk 
• tenacity 
• toughness