Going Against the Grain

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🗓️ Idiom: Going Against the Grain (v)

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💬 Meaning

• To do something in a way that is different from what is usual or expected.
• It often refers to taking an approach that others may resist or disagree with.

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🧠 Example Sentences

• The new policy goes against the grain of our company’s traditional culture.
• Suggesting remote work in a company that values office presence goes against the grain.
• He knew that changing the pricing model would go against the grain, but he believed it was necessary.

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🏛️ Origin

This idiom comes from woodworking, where going “against the grain” means cutting in the opposite direction of the wood fibers—making the job harder. In business, it means acting in a way that challenges the norm.

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📝 Practice Exercises

1. Fill in the blank:

Proposing a flat team structure really __________ in a company known for strict hierarchy.

Answer

went against the grain

2. Choose the correct meaning of “going against the grain”:

A) Following the usual approach
B) Making decisions randomly
C) Doing something in a way that challenges the usual way
D) Avoiding all conflict

Answer

C) Doing something in a way that challenges the usual way

3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

“She chose a strategy that was very different from what the team normally does.” → Change the sentence using: go against the grain

Answer

She chose a strategy that went against the grain of what the team normally does.

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ℹ️ Other Useful Pages

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