against the grain

Idioms and Phrases

Opposed to one's inclination or preference, as in We followed the new supervisor's advice, though it went against the grain . This metaphor refers to the natural direction of the fibers in a piece of wood, called its grain ; when sawed obliquely, or “against the grain,” the wood will tend to splinter. [c. 1600] For a synonym, see rub the wrong way .

Related Words

• afraid
• averse
• compelled
• evasive
• forced
• loath
• reluctant
• resistant
• unenthusiastic