Cross·grained a.
 1. Having the grain or fibers run diagonally, or more or less transversely and irregularly, so as to interfere with splitting or planing.
    If the stuff proves crossgrained, . . . then you must turn your stuff to plane it the contrary way.   --Moxon.
 2. Perverse; untractable; contrary; difficult to deal with.
 Syn: -- balky, contrarious.
    She was none of your crossgrained, termagant, scolding jades.   --Arbuthnot.
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 cross-grained
      adj 1: difficult to deal with [syn: contrarious]
      2: of timber; having fibers running irregularly rather than in
         parallel