grain (redirected from grainer)

*against the grain 

1. Lit. across the alignment of the fibers of a piece of wood. (*Typically: be ~; Cut ~; go ~; run ~; saw ~.) You sawed it wrong. You sawed against the grain when you should have cut with grain. You went against the grain and made a mess of your sanding.

2. Fig. running counter to one's feelings or ideas. (*Typically: be ~; go ~.) The idea of my actually taking something that is not mine goes against the grain.

See also: against

(a) grain of truth

even the smallest amount of truth. The attorney was unable to find a grain of truth in the defendant's testimony. If there were a grain of truth to your statement, I would trust you.

See also: truth

ain't got a grain of sense and ain't got a lick of sense

Rur. is or are foolish. Mary spends money like there's no tomorrow. She sure ain't got a grain of sense. I wouldn't trust Jim to take care of my kids. He ain't got a lick of sense.

See also: got, sense

take something with a pinch of salt and take something with a grain of slt

Fig. to listen to a story or an explanation with considerable doubt. You must take anything she says with a grain of salt. She doesn't always tell the truth. They took my explanation with a pinch of salt. I was sure they didn't believe me.

See also: pinch, salt, take

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a grain of truth

a small amount of truth There's a grain of truth in what she says but it's greatly exaggerated.

See also: truth

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 take with a pinch of salt

See also: against

take something with a pinch of salt  (British & Australian) also take something with a grain of salt (American & Australian)

if you take what someone says with a pinch of salt, you do not completely believe it You have to take everything she says with a pinch of salt. She has a tendency to exaggerate. It's interesting to read the reports in the newspapers, but I tend to take them with a grain of salt.

See rub salt in the wound

See also: pinch, salt, take

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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

take something with a grain of salt

to consider something to be not completely true or right I've read the article, which I take with a grain of salt.

Related vocabulary: hard to swallow

Etymology: based on the idea that food tastes better and is easier to swallow if you add a little salt

See also: salt, take