cross-grained

cross-grained

(krôs′grānd′, krŏs′-)
adj.
1. Having an irregular, transverse, or diagonal grain, as opposed to a parallel grain.
2. Troublesome to deal with; contrary.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cross-grained

adj
1. (Forestry) (of timber) having the fibres arranged irregularly or in a direction that deviates from the axis of the piece
2. perverse, cantankerous, or stubborn
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cross′-grained′



adj.
1. (of timber)
a. having the grain running transversely or diagonally.
b. having an irregular grain.
2. stubborn; perverse.
[1640–50]
cross′-grained′ness (-ˈgreɪnd-, -ˈgreɪ nɪd-) n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.cross-grained - difficult to deal with
obstinate, stubborn, unregenerate - tenaciously unwilling or marked by tenacious unwillingness to yield
2.cross-grained - of timber; having fibers running irregularly rather than in parallel
uneven - not even or uniform as e.g. in shape or texture; "an uneven color"; "uneven ground"; "uneven margins"; "wood with an uneven grain"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations

cross-grained

[ˈkrɒsgreɪnd] ADJde fibras cruzadas
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Mentioned in
References in classic literature
The little beast, cowardly and cross-grained, as pet-dogs usually are, looked up at him sharply, shrank away from his outstretched hand, whined, shivered, and hid itself under a sofa.
THE coracle--as I had ample reason to know before I was done with her--was a very safe boat for a person of my height and weight, both buoyant and clever in a sea- way; but she was the most cross-grained, lop-sided craft to manage.
He was a cross-grained man, oppressed by a large family, and he resented the superciliousness which he fancied he saw in Philip.
Bunn, as they went away; "but he's a good mixer and never gets cross-grained. I will now take you to call upon some of my own relatives." They visited the Sugar Bunns, the Currant Bunns and the Spanish Bunns, the latter having a decidedly foreign appearance.
sire, I regret sincerely, and you will regret as I do, the old days when the king of France saw in every vestibule those insolent gentlemen, lean, always swearing - cross-grained mastiffs, who could bite mortally in the hour of danger or of battle.
But notwithstanding these precedents to the contrary, Gabriel Grub was an ill-conditioned, cross-grained, surly fellow--a morose and lonely man, who consorted with nobody but himself, and an old wicker bottle which fitted into his large deep waistcoat pocket--and who eyed each merry face, as it passed him by, with such a deep scowl of malice and ill-humour, as it was difficult to meet without feeling something the worse for.
It was my old cross-grained companion, Professor Summerlee.
And so calling-over rolls on somehow, much like the big world, punishments lighting on wrong shoulders, and matters going generally in a queer, cross-grained way, but the end coming somehow, which is, after all, the great point.
Copyright © 2003-2025 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.