| English Dictionary |
CROSS-GRAINED
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| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does cross-grained mean?
• CROSS-GRAINED (adjective)
The adjective CROSS-GRAINED has 2 senses:
1. difficult to deal with
2. of timber; having fibers running irregularly rather than in parallel
Familiarity information: CROSS-GRAINED used as an adjective is rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Difficult to deal with
Synonyms:
contrarious; cross-grained
Similar:
obstinate; stubborn; unregenerate (tenaciously unwilling or marked by tenacious unwillingness to yield)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Of timber; having fibers running irregularly rather than in parallel
Synonyms:
cross-grained; curly-grained; wavy-grained
Similar:
uneven (not even or uniform as e.g. in shape or texture)
Context examples
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 seaway; but she was the most cross-grained, lop-sided craft to manage.
(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)
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