Of diction, style, etc.: lacking grace, elegance, or refinement; crude, unpolished.

Of an author, his composition or style: Harsh, unmusical, unpolished.

Repugnant to the understanding or taste; grating upon the mind or æsthetic faculty; strained, forced; lacking smoothness, unpleasing, ungraceful.

Of sounds, speech, etc.

Not made smooth; left rough, uneven, etc.

Of speech or writing: Violent; rude; scathing; savage; harsh.

figurative. Esp. of sound: harsh, grating, strident.

figurative of literary style, with allusion to the unpleasant quality of ‘gritty’ bread.