grit

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ˈɡrɪt/

• Audio (AU)

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Noun

Singular grit

Plural grits

1. (uncountable) Grit is very small pieces of stone.
   • Synonyms: sand, gravel and dust

   The wind blew a fine grit that got in her teeth, hair, and eyes.

   Rinse the lettuce thoroughly under cold running water to remove grit and sand.

2. (uncountable) If you have grit, you have the strength to keep going despite many difficulties.
   • Synonyms: guts, determination and perseverance

   Although we lost today, we showed real grit, courage, and a refusal to quit.

3. (plural only) Grits are ground corn cooked as a porridge, mostly eaten in the southern U.S.

   Enjoy a special Mother's Day brunch, including shrimp and grits.

Verb

Plain form grit

Third-person singular grits

Past tense gritted

Past participle gritted

Present participle gritting

1. (transitive) If you grit your teeth, you bite them together, usually as you face a difficulty.
   • Synonyms: clench and grind

   Gritting her teeth, she jumped into the icy water.

2. (transitive) If you grit a road or sidewalk, you put small pieces of stone on it to make it less slippery.

   They've changed from salting the road in the winter, to gritting it.

Related words

• gritty