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go against the grain

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go against the grain
if something that you say or do goes against the grain, you do not like saying or doing it and it is not what you would usually say or do. It goes against the grain for William to admit that he's wrong. I don't think she likes to praise men. It goes against the grain.
See also: against, grain


go against the grain
to do something that is the opposite of what is usually done. It's not easy to go against the grain and buy stocks when others are selling them.
Usage notes: sometimes used with verbs other than go: The changes will certainly rub against the grain here.
Etymology: from the act of cutting wood against the grain (= in the direction opposite to the direction in which the fibers in the wood lie)
See also: against, grain

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? References in periodicals archive
The group had to go against the grain of conventional restoration techniques to fortify the buildings while retaining as much of the facades battle scars as they could.
``It's going to go against the grain of many of our political inclinations,'' he said.
It could mean simply viewing situations differently and having the courage to go against the grain if it is in the client's best interest.
 
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