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gruff |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Gruff \Gruff\, a. [Compar. {Gruffer}; superl. {Gruffest}.] [D. grof; akin to G. grob, OHG. gerob, grob, Dan. grov, Sw grof, perh. akin to AS rc['o]fan to break, Z. reavc, rupture, g- standing for the AS prefix ge-, Goth. ga-.] Of a rough or stern manner, voice, or countenance; sour; surly; severe; harsh. --Addison. Gruff, disagreeable, sarcastic remarks. --Thackeray. -- {Gruff"ly}, adv -- {Gruff"ness}, n. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: gruff adj 1: brusque and surly and forbidding; "crusty remarks"; "a crusty old man"; "his curmudgeonly temper"; "gruff manner"; "a gruff reply" [syn: {crusty}, {curmudgeonly}, {ill-humored}, {ill-humoured}] 2: deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness or emotion; "gruff voices"; "the dog's gruff barking"; "hoarse cries"; "makes all the instruments sound powerful but husky:- Virgil Thomson [syn: {hoarse}, {husky}]
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