/ grɪm; NAmE / adjective ( grim·mer , grim·mest )
1.
looking or sounding very serious :
a grim face / look / smile
She looked grim.
with a look of grim determination on his face
grim-faced policemen
2.
unpleasant and depressing :
grim news
We face the grim prospect of still higher unemployment.
The outlook is pretty grim.
Things are looking grim for workers in the building industry.
3.
( of a place or building ) not attractive; depressing :
The house looked grim and dreary in the rain.
the grim walls of the prison
4.
[ not before noun ] ( BrE , informal ) ill / sick :
I feel grim this morning.
5.
[ not usually before noun ] ( BrE , informal ) of very low quality :
Their performance was fairly grim, I'm afraid!
► grim·ly adverb :
'It won't be easy,' he said grimly.
grimly determined
► grim·ness noun [ U ]
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IDIOMS
- hang / hold on for / like grim death
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch grim and German grimm .