against one's grain

noun

1. a small, hard seed or seedlike fruit, esp. that of any cereal plant, as wheat, rice, corn, rye, etc.
2. : also called corn in Great Britain
   1. cereal seeds in general
   2. the seeds of a specific cereal
   3. any plant or plants producing cereal seeds
3. 1. a tiny, solid particle, as of salt or sand
   2. a crystal or crystals collectively; also crystallization, esp. of sugar
4. a tiny bit; slightest amount: a grain of sense
5. the smallest unit in the system of weights used in the U.S., Great Britain, and Canada, equal to .0648 gram: one pound avoirdupois equals 7,000 grains; one pound troy or apothecaries' weight equals 5,760 grains: abbrev. gr
6. 1. the arrangement or direction of fibers, layers, or particles of wood, leather, stone, paper, etc.
   2. the markings or texture due to a particular arrangement
   3. paint or other surface finish imitating such markings or texture
   4. a granular surface appearance
7. 1. that side of a piece of leather from which the hair has been removed
   2. the markings on that side
8. 1. disposition; nature
   2. essential quality
9. Obsolete
   1. kermes or cochineal
   2. a red dye made from either
   3. any fast dye
   4. Archaic color or shade

transitive verb

1. to form into grains; granulate
2. to paint or otherwise finish (a surface) in imitation of the grain of wood, marble, etc.
3. 1. to remove the hair from (hides)
   2. to put a finish on the grain surface of (leather)

intransitive verb