a. [Parasynthetic deriv. of prec.]
1. Of wood: Having the grain or fiber arranged in crossing directions, or irregularly, instead of running straight longitudinally.
1673–4. Grew, Anat. Plants, III. II. vii. § 5. Elm … is the most Cross-grain’d Timber: that is, cleaveth so unevenly … according to the cross Position of the said Vessels.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 110. Stuff is Cross-grain’d when a … Branch shoots out on that part of the Tree; For the … Grain of that branch … runs a-cross the Grain of the Trunk.
1873. J. Richards, Wood-working Factories, 104. Knives for working hard or cross-grained lumber.
2. fig. Of opposed nature or temper; given to opposition, contrarious; difficult to deal with, intractable; perverse, refractory, queer-tempered. (Said of persons and things.)
1647. Case Kingd., 16. So cross-grain’d to all Novelty.
1652. Wharton, Rothomanne’s Chirom., Ded. The many Discouragements and Cross-grain’d Events I have Laboured under.
1773. Goldsm., Stoops to Conq., III. Was there ever such a cross-grain’d brute, that won’t hear me?
1850. T. A. Trollope, Impress. Wand., xiii. 204. He would think you a pestilent, cross-grained fellow.
1883. Stevenson, Treasure Isl., V. xxiii. 184. She [the boat] was the most cross-grained lop-sided craft to manage.
3. advb. Across the grain. (lit. and fig.)
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 69. Working still Cross-grain’d.
1825. Lamb, Elia, Convalescent. Things went cross-grained in the Court yesterday.
Hence Cross-grainedness.
1652. J. Wadsworth, trans. Sandoval’s Civ. Wars Spain, 273. By reason of the pervers Cross-grainedness of those of the Junta.
1673. S. Dugard, Marriages Cousin Germ., 65. The ill nature of the Wife, or the Cross-graindnesse of the Husband.
a. 1734. North, Lives, III. 279. A fanatic, whereof the composition was crossgrainedness, ambition, and malice.
1867. Trollope, Chron. Barset, II. lviii. 154. She … could only lament … over … the cross-grainedness of men.
