grit

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
grit/ɡrɪt/

▶noun

• 1 small loose particles of stone or sand.

• 2 (also gritstone) a coarse sandstone.

• 3 courage and determination.

▶verb (grits, gritting, gritted)

• 1 spread grit on (an icy road).

• 2 move with or make a grating sound.

– phrases
grit one's teeth clench one's teeth, especially when faced with something unpleasant.

■ resolve to do something difficult.

– derivatives
gritter noun.

– origin OE grēot, of Gmc origin; rel. to groats.