grim /ɡrɪm/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: grimm ]
1 . making you feel worried or unhappy SYN harsh :
the grim reality of rebuilding the shattered town
When he lost his job, his future looked grim.
Millions of Britons face the grim prospect (=something bad that will probably happen) of dearer home loans.
We received the grim news in silence.
2 . looking or sounding very serious:
‘I’ll survive,’ he said with a grim smile.
The child hung on to her arm with grim determination.
The police officers were silent and grim-faced.
3 . British English informal very bad, ugly, or unpleasant:
The weather forecast is pretty grim.
They painted a grim picture of what life used to be like there.
a grim industrial town
4 . [not before noun] informal ill:
Juliet felt grim through the early months of her pregnancy.
5 . hold/hang on for/like grim death British English informal to hold something very tightly because you are afraid
—grimly adverb :
Arnold smiled grimly.
—grimness noun [uncountable]