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)

, grit·ted, grit·ting.

1. to cause to grind or grate together.

verb (used without object)

, grit·ted, grit·ting.

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

Grit

¹

/ ɡrɪt /

noun

1. See Liberal
   an informal word for Liberal

grit

²

/ ɡrɪt /

noun

1. small hard particles of sand, earth, stone, etc
2. Also calledgritstone 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

Derived Forms

• ˈgritless, adjective

Other Words From

• gritless adjective
• gritter 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

Further googling of the McDonald’s buffet with terrible grits in Alexandria turns up nothing.

From Eater

A hearty, cheesy spoonful of his grits reveals additional layers of the “new” American palate.

From Washington Blade

They have shooting, vision, grit, length, speed, experience and more than one playmaker.

From FiveThirtyEight

It took a tremendous amount of fight, grit, toughness, resolve.

From Ozy

Will, innovation, grit, unceasing creativity, and a touch of luck are all you sometimes need to win.

From Search Engine Watch

But she respects grit and determination, in allies and opponents alike.

From The Daily Beast

Chicago provides crime reporters and amateur scanner-chasers with more grit and brutality than they can handle combined.

From The Daily Beast

In 175 well-chosen words, he sums up the trials and the grit and bravery of the civil rights movement.

From The Daily Beast

To do so in a Salvadoran prison defies comprehension and inspires respect for their grit and determination.

From The Daily Beast

Plus, his remake history is a mixed bag, with the solid True Grit and the atrocious Oldboy.

From The Daily Beast

Then followed such an exhibition of sheer grit and skill and dauntless courage as none of the girls would ever forget.

From Project Gutenberg

"Of course it won't be much use to him in my leather business," I said to my wife; "still it shows grit."

From Project Gutenberg

All day long the struggle continued, and it required all the grit he possessed to keep him going.

From Project Gutenberg

She had the grit to pray for Judus if she took the notion—there warn't no back-down to her, I judge.

From Project Gutenberg

Meal dus' in my th'oat, grit in my eye, en I aint kin git my breff, skacely.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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