GRUFF

adj. 1 surly, crusty, grumpy, curmudgeonly, cantankerous, sour, peevish, churlish, rude, uncivil, bearish, testy, querulous, irritable, cross, petulant, crabbed, irascible, sullen, sulky, bluff, abrupt, curt, blunt, brusque, short, short-tempered, ill-humoured, ill-natured, bad-tempered, stinging, cutting, biting, acerb, acrimonious, acid, caustic, Colloq grouchy, crotchety It is difficult to work for someone as gruff as he is 2 throaty, deep, rough, guttural, rasping, low, husky, hoarse, harsh(-sounding) Instantly I recognized father's gruff voice on the telephone