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gruff

   Also found in: Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.06 sec.
gruff  (grf)
adj. gruff·er, gruff·est
1. Brusque or stern in manner or appearance: a gruff reply.
2. Hoarse; harsh: a gruff voice.

[Dutch grof, from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German.]

gruffly adv.
gruffness n.
Synonyms: gruff, brusque, blunt, bluff2, curt, crusty
These adjectives mean abrupt and sometimes discourteous in manner or speech. Gruff implies roughness or surliness but does not necessarily suggest rudeness: a gruff reply.
Brusque emphasizes rude abruptness: a brusque manner.
Blunt stresses utter frankness and usually a disconcerting directness: a blunt refusal.
Bluff refers to unpolished, unceremonious manner but usually implies hearty good nature: a bluff and courageous sailor.
Curt denotes usually rude briefness and abruptness of speech: a curt letter of rejection.
Crusty suggests a rough and forbidding manner that sometimes conceals benevolence of spirit: a crusty old gentlemen who feeds stray cats.

gruff
Adjective
1. rough or surly in manner or speech
2. (of a voice) low and throaty [Germanic]
gruffly adv
gruffness n
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.gruff - brusque and surly and forbidding; "crusty remarks"; "a crusty old man"; "his curmudgeonly temper"; "gruff manner"; "a gruff reply"
ill-natured - having an irritable and unpleasant disposition
2.gruff - 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
cacophonic, cacophonous - having an unpleasant sound; "as cacophonous as a henyard"- John McCarten

gruff
adjective 2. surly, rough, rude, grumpy, blunt, crabbed, crusty, sullen, bad-tempered, curt, churlish, brusque, impolite, grouchy (informal) ungracious, discourteous, uncivil, ill-humoured, unmannerly, ill-natured << OPPOSITE polite
Translations
gruff [grʌf] adj [voice] → ronco; [manner] → brusco

gruff [grʌf] adjbourru(e)

gruff [grʌf] adjbarsch, schroff

gruff [grʌf] adjrozzo/a

gruff
adj gruff [graf]
1 deep and rough a gruff voice. bars غليظ، أجَش дрезгав drsný; chraplavý grov; hæs schroff βραχνός ronco räme گرفته karhea bourru צרוד कड़ा, रूखे आचरण वाला hrapav rekedtes parau rámur, hás rauco, roco どら声の (목소리가) 거칠은 gergždžiantis (par balsi) skarbs; piesmacis parau schor, rauw, hees grov, barsk, hes ochrypły rouco răguşit хриплый chrapľavý hripav promukao grov, barsk แหบ boğuk, kaba 粗啞的 грубуватий; хрипкий غرّاہٹ جیسا thô lỗ; cộc cằn
2 (seeming to be) unfriendly a gruff old man. stroewe, nors فَظ، غير وُدّي груб nevrlý studs; brysk mürrisch απότομος, εχθρικός brusco; malhumorado pahur تند و گستاخ töykeä brusque זעף कर्कश otresit, osoran mogorva tidak ramah hranalegur burbero; sgarbato ぶっきら棒な 퉁명스러운 niūrus, atšiaurus skarbs; nedraudzīgs; parupjš tidak peramah nors, bars brysk, kort burkliwy ríspido ţâfnos неприветливый nevrlý osoren osoran sträv, barsk กระด้าง ters, haşin 粗暴的 різкий غیر دوستانہ không thân thiện
adv gruffly
nors, stroef بِفَظاظَه، بِغلاظَه грубо nevrle studst; bryskt schroff απότομα bruscamente, toscamente; con malhumor pahuralt با صدای گرفته؛ با گستاخی happamasti d'un ton bourru בזעף कड़क के साथ otresito, osorno mogorván dengan kasar hranalega sgarbatamente ぶっきら棒に 퉁명스럽게 gergždžiančiu balsu, niūriai skarbi; parupji kasar met schore stem; op boze wijze hest; avvisende burkliwie rispidamente cu asprime хрипло; неприветливо mrzuto robato promuklo barskt (เสียง) แหบห้าว ters ters 粗暴地 грубувато بد مزاجی سے thô lỗ; cộc cằn
n gruffness
stuursheid, norsheid غَلاظَه، فَظاظَه грубост mrzutost studshed; bryskhed die Schroffheit αγριάδα, τραχύτητα brusquedad; malhumor pahurus گستاخی؛ گرفتگی صدا töykeys ton bourru זעף कड़कपन zlovolja, osornost mogorvaság kekasaran skapillska sgarbataggine ぶっきら棒 퉁명스러움 šiurkštumas, stačiokiškumas skarbums kekasaran schorheid, boosheid heshet, bryskhet gburowatość rispidez asprime, severitate неприветливость mrzutosť osornost promuklost strävhet, barskhet เสียงแหบ terslik, sertlik 粗啞 різкість بم مزاجی tính cộc cằn; tính thô lỗ


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Upon reaching the first landing, heard two voices in loud and angry contention - the one a gruff voice, the other much shriller - a very strange voice.
You never mean to say,' pursued Dot, sitting on the floor and shaking her head at him, 'that it's Gruff and Tackleton the toymaker
As we were walking down the end of the wharf towards the ship, Queequeg carrying his harpoon, Captain Peleg in his gruff voice loudly hailed us from his wigwam, saying he had not suspected my friend was a cannibal, and furthermore announcing that he let no cannibals on board that craft, unless they previously produced their papers.
 
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