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against the grain Twit Definition of against the grain Share Definition of against the grain on Facebook Digg:Definition of against the grain! stumble Definition of against the grain Bookmark Definition of against the grain on Delicious submit Definition of against the grain to reddit Bookmark Definition of against the grain
idiom 
  1. (idiom) Contrary to what is expected; especially, of behavior different from what society expects.
    By going and going to work nude, you've made yourself a laughing stock.''
    1. To sand or plane a piece of wood parallel or nearly parallel to the fibers such that splinters forming ahead of the tool originate below the cutting surface
    2. Unwilling. It went much against the grain with him, i.e. it was much against his inclination, or against his pluck.
    See: wikipedia: plane (tool)
Etymology: Popularized by wikipedia:William Shakespeare, William Shakespeare in the play wikipedia:Coriolanus (play), Coriolanus. This figurative has literal origins in woodworking, where carving against the grain is undesirable because the resulting surface is not smooth.

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