gruff Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite brusque and surly and forbidding
    ill-humored; crusty; ill-humoured; curmudgeonly.
    • crusty remarks
    • a crusty old man
    • his curmudgeonly temper
    • gruff manner
    • a gruff reply
  2. adjective satellite deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness or emotion
    hoarse; husky.
    • gruff voices
    • the dog's gruff barking
    • hoarse cries
    • makes all the instruments sound powerful but husky"- Virgil Thomson

WordNet

Gruff adjective
Etymology
D. grof; akin to G. grob, OHG. gerob, grob, Dan. grov, Sw. grof, perh. akin to AS. rcófan to break, Z. reavc, rupture, g- standing for the AS. prefix ge-, Goth. ga-.
Wordforms
comparative Gruffer ; superlative Gruffest
Definitions
  1. Of a rough or stern manner, voice, or countenance; sour; surly; severe; harsh. Addison.
    Gruff, disagreeable, sarcastic remarks. Thackeray.
    -- Gruff"ly, adv. -- Gruff"ness, n.

Webster 1913