grim

a. [ Compar. Grimmer superl. Grimmest ] [ AS. grim; akin to G. grimm, equiv. to G. & D. grimmig, Dan. grim, grum, Sw. grym, Icel. grimmr, G. gram grief, as adj., hostile; cf. Gr. &unr_;, a crushing sound, &unr_; to neigh. ] Of forbidding or fear-inspiring aspect; fierce; stern; surly; cruel; frightful; horrible. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whose grim aspect sets every joint a-shaking. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ridges of grim war. Milton.

Syn.-- Fierce; ferocious; furious; horrid; horrible; frightful; ghastly; grisly; hideous; stern; sullen; sour. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., prob. of Teutonic origin; cf. AS. grīma mask, specter, Icel. grīma mask, hood, perh. akin to E. grin. ] A distortion of the countenance, whether habitual, from affectation, or momentary and occasional, to express some feeling, as contempt, disapprobation, complacency, etc.; a smirk; a made-up face. [ 1913 Webster ]

Moving his face into such a hideous grimace, that every feature of it appeared under a different distortion. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ “Half the French words used affectedly by Melantha in Dryden's ‘Marriage a-la-Mode, ’ as innovations in our language, are now in common use: chagrin, double-entendre, éclaircissement, embarras, équivoque, foible, grimace, naïvete, ridicule. All these words, which she learns by heart to use occasionally, are now in common use.” I. Disraeli. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To make grimaces; to distort one's face; to make faces. H. Martineau. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Distorted; crabbed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ For graymalkin; gray + malkin. ] 1. An old cat, especially a she-cat. J. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A bad-tempered old woman. [ PJC ]

n. [ Cf. Dan. grim, griim, lampblack, soot, grime, Icel. grīma mask, sort of hood, OD. grijmsel, grimsel, soot, smut, and E. grimace. ] Foul matter; dirt, rubbed in; sullying blackness, deeply ingrained. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To sully or soil deeply; to dirt. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a grimy manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being grimy. [ 1913 Webster ]