† ˈgruffy, a. and n. Obs.
[f. gruff a. + -y.]
A. adj. = gruff a. B. n. A nickname for a gruff person, a ‘cross patch’.
| 1790 J. Williams Shrove Tuesday (1794) 8 Teach gruffy Cerberus to dance pas russe. 1802 M. Charlton Wife & Mistress I. xii. 273 He [‘cross Lord John’] don't vally what he says to young or old, man or woman—its all the same to old gruffy! |