🗓️ Idiom: Going Against the Grain (v)
💬 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.
🧠 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.
🏛️ 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.
📝 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.