grit
- abrasive particles or granules, as of sand or other small, coarse impurities found in the air, food, water, etc.
- firmness of character; indomitable spirit; pluck: She has a reputation for grit and common sense.
- a coarse-grained siliceous rock, usually with sharp, angular grains.
- British. gravel.
- sand or other fine grainy particles eaten by fowl to aid in digestion.
- to cause to grind or grate together.
- to make a scratchy or slightly grating sound, as of sand being walked on; grate.
- grit one's teeth, to show tenseness, anger, or determination by or as if by clamping or grinding the teeth together.
Origin of grit
Synonyms for grit
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for gritted
grate, rub, scrape, crush, clamp, grit, whet, smooth, abrade, file, polish, gnash, sandExamples from the Web for gritted
Contemporary Examples of gritted
After my crying spell stopped, I gritted my teeth, tucked my crutch under my right arm, and turned to my husband.
Historical Examples of gritted
Wally gritted disgustedly, glancing over his shoulder at them.
Good IndianB. M. Bower
It was hard work, but they gritted their teeth and would not give up.
Frank Roscoe's SecretAllen Chapman
She gritted her teeth on the words, her nostrils distended with rage.
Priestess of the FlameSewell Peaslee Wright
“Two days in succession I have been disturbed,” he gritted out.
The Night RidersRidgwell Cullum
At last he gritted his teeth and forced himself to look at the walls.
Loot of the VoidEdwin K. Sloat
grit
- small hard particles of sand, earth, stone, etc
- Also called: gritstone any coarse sandstone that can be used as a grindstone or millstone
- the texture or grain of stone
- indomitable courage, toughness, or resolution
- engineering an arbitrary measure of the size of abrasive particles used in a grinding wheel or other abrasive process
- to clench or grind together (two objects, esp the teeth)
- to cover (a surface, such as icy roads) with grit
Word Origin for grit
Grit
- an informal word for Liberal
Word Origin and History for gritted
grit
Old English greot "sand, dust, earth, gravel," from Proto-Germanic *greutan "tiny particles of crushed rock" (cf. Old Saxon griot, Old Frisian gret, Old Norse grjot "rock, stone," German Grieß "grit, sand"), from PIE *ghreu- "rub, grind" (cf. Lithuanian grudas "corn, kernel," Old Church Slavonic gruda "clod"). Sense of "pluck, spirit" first recorded American English, 1808.
grit
"make a grating sound," 1762, probably from grit (n.). Related: Gritted; gritting.