Adjective: gruff (gruffer,gruffest) grúf
- Deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting, illness or emotion
"gruff voices"; "the dog's gruff barking";
- hoarse, husky
- Brusque and surly and forbidding
"gruff manner"; "a gruff reply";
- crusty, curmudgeonly, ill-humored [US], ill-humoured [Brit, Cdn]
Derived forms: gruffer, gruffest
See also: cacophonic, cacophonous, ill-natured
Encyclopedia: Gruff