(人说话或举止)粗声粗气的,生硬的,显得不耐烦的(常指外表不太友好,但不一定心地不好)。也可指声音“低沉粗哑”。
/ɡrʌf/
He gave a gruff reply and walked away.
他生硬地回了一句就走开了。
Though his gruff manner scared newcomers, he was patient with his team and always helped when it mattered.
尽管他粗声粗气的态度吓到新来的人,他对团队却很有耐心,总在关键时刻伸出援手。
“gruff”常被认为源自低地德语或荷兰语等日耳曼语系词汇,原意与“粗糙、严厉、刺耳的声音或态度”相关;进入英语后逐渐固定为形容人“说话生硬、态度粗鲁(但未必恶意)”的常用词。