grit
/ɡrɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɡrɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgrit/ (ame, mw)
grit — noun
1. tiny, rough fragments of rock that feel like sand when you touch them
tiny, rough fragments of rock that feel like sand when you touch them
Fine grit covered the window ledge after the builders finished the wall.
uncountable: covered in grit
Ilan found a piece of grit stuck under his eyelid and it really hurt.
collocation: a piece of grit
The mechanic discovered grit inside the engine, which had scratched the pistons.
Walkers complained about loose grit on the path near the construction site.
文法句型
uncountable noun, used with 'a piece of' for a single particle
用法筆記
Uncountable — to refer to a single particle, use 'a piece of grit' or 'a grain of grit'.
常見錯誤
2. the quality of staying determined and not giving up when facing hardships or pro
the quality of staying determined and not giving up when facing hardships or problems
Lara showed real grit by finishing the race even after she injured her ankle.
collocation: show grit
After three failed attempts, Nia finally passed her driving test through sheer grit.
collocation: sheer grit
The team's grit and determination earned them the championship trophy.
Samir built his success on grit rather than on natural talent alone.
Teachers admired Talia for the grit she showed in her maths studies.
- determination
broader term — does not necessarily imply hardship or long-term struggle
- perseverance
emphasises continuing through repeated difficulties step by step
- resilience
focuses on the ability to recover quickly from setbacks
- fortitude
more formal; suggests calmly enduring pain or hardship
文法句型
uncountable noun, often modified by adjectives such as 'real' or 'true'
用法筆記
Uncountable. Frequently appears with modifiers like 'real', 'true', 'sheer' to intensify the meaning. Often used in contexts of long-term effort rather than short bursts of courage.
常見錯誤
3. a soft breakfast food made from dried corn kernels that have been ground and boi
a soft breakfast food made from dried corn kernels that have been ground and boiled until thick, popular in the southern United States
For breakfast, the diner served grits with butter and cheese on top.
plural form: grits
Although Yan grew up in Texas, he had never tried grits until college.
Quinn ordered shrimp and grits, a classic dish from the American South.
Lakan likes his grits with a sprinkle of salt and a lot of black pepper.
文法句型
usually plural: 'grits' (treated as singular or plural)
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form 'grits', though the verb can be singular ('Grits is a Southern staple' or 'Grits are served with butter'). More common in American English than in other varieties.
常見錯誤
grit — verb
- gritpresent simple I / you / we / they
- grits3rd person singular
- gritting-ing form
- grittedpast simple
1. to spread tiny stones onto an icy road or path so that people and vehicles can m
to spread tiny stones onto an icy road or path so that people and vehicles can move more safely
The council gritted the main roads before the snowstorm arrived.
passive: roads were gritted
Workers gritted the icy footpaths outside the hospital entrance.
Every winter the city spends thousands of dollars gritting the mountain passes.
The farmer gritted the lane leading to his barn before the delivery truck arrived.
文法句型
grit + noun (road/path/surface)
passive: be gritted (with noun)
用法筆記
Common in British English and other regions with cold winters. Often used in the passive construction 'the road was gritted'. A 'gritter' is the vehicle that does this work.
常見錯誤
2. to press your teeth together tightly, especially when you are determined to do s
to press your teeth together tightly, especially when you are determined to do something difficult or painful
Zola gritted her teeth and lifted the heavy box off the floor.
fixed phrase: grit one's teeth
The dentist told Brian to grit his teeth while he checked the filling.
Mark gritted his teeth in frustration as the laptop froze again.
Shirin gritted her teeth through the long flight with a crying baby beside her.
Élise gritted her teeth with determination as she prepared for the final exam.
文法句型
grit + possessive + teeth
grit one's teeth + and + verb
用法筆記
The expression 'grit one's teeth' is largely fixed — the teeth are always plural, and the possessive matches the subject. Often followed by 'and' plus another verb to express doing something unpleasant through determination.