against the grain
Pronunciation
This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.003
Pronunciation
- IPA: /əˈɡɛnst ðə ɡɹeɪn/
- (woodworking, of sanding or planing a piece of wood) Preventing a smooth, level surface from being formed by raising the nap#fabric direction|nap of the wood or causing larger splinters to form ahead of the cutting tool below the cutting surface.
- (idiomatic) Contrary to what is expected; especially, of behavior different from what society expects.
- By going against the grain and going to work nude, you've made yourself a laughing stock.
- (idiomatic) Unwillingly, reluctantly; contrary to one's nature.
- It went much against the grain with him
- 1608, William Shakespeare, Coriolanus
- Say, you chose him / More after our commandment than as guided / By your own true affections, and that your minds, / Preoccupied with what you rather must do / Than what you should, made you against the grain / To voice him consul: lay the fault on us.
- French: à contre-fil
- French: à contre-courant
- Portuguese: contra a maré, contra a corrente
- Spanish: contramano, a contracorriente
- French: à contre-cœur, à son corps défendant
- Portuguese: a contragosto
- Russian: не по нутру́
This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.003