grit

American  

[grit] / grɪt /

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.

idioms

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

grit ¹ British  

/ 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 British  

/ ɡrɪt /

noun

1. an informal word for Liberal

---

Other Word Forms

• gritless adjective
• gritter noun

Etymology

Origin of grit

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

Example Sentences

It said contractors would be sent to the site "to assist with gritting the road surface and ensure it is safe before re-opening", adding local diversions have been put in place.

From BBC

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

But despite showing more grit, they were again outplayed by an Australian team who suffered a setback with spin wizard Nathan Lyon hurting his hamstring and hobbling off.

From Barron's

A teenager who lost one of his shoes during the European Cross Country Championships decided to "grit down" for his team and continue running.

From BBC

“I’m so thankful for the mindset, the grit, the toughness of this football team,” Venables said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• daring
• fortitude
• guts
• moxie
• perseverance
• spirit
• spunk
• tenacity
• toughness