grime

Accumulated surface dirt

Grime is ingrained dirt—the kind that accumulates in layers and resists easy cleaning: years of grime on the kitchen walls, factory grime.

Unlike dust or mud, grime suggests stubborn, greasy buildup.

To grime something is to make it dirty.

Grimy is the common adjective.

In British music, grime is a genre blending electronic beats with rapid-fire rap, originating in early 2000s London.

genre

dubstep

Bass-heavy electronic dance music

garageEnclosed vehicle storage structure
drillHole-boring device
basslineLow-register musical foundation

MC · bars · flow · riddim · pirate radio · Wiley · Skepta · bow · reload · clash

dirt

filth

Foul, accumulated matter

muckFilthy wet dirt
gunkViscous unpleasant substance
crudFilthy deposit or residue

soot · residue · buildup · grease · scum · smut · tarnish · film · crust · sediment

texture

gritty

Coarse or courageous

coarseRough in texture
grainyRough with particles
roughUneven in surface

abrasive · granular · sandy · powdery · chalky · sooty · smeared · caked · encrusted · layered

urban

alleyway

Narrow urban passage

underpassRoad passing below another
tenementMulti-unit urban dwelling
subwayUnderground transit passage

streetlight · graffiti · concrete · industrial · factory · warehouse · rundown · neglected · decay · rust

cleaning

scrub

Clean by rubbing hard

scourClean by hard rubbing
wipeRub to clean
washClean using liquid

degrease · remove · dissolve · elbow grease · detergent · solvent · bristle · sponge · rag · bucket

Categories

filthdirt, dirty, filthy, muck, crud
residueresidue, buildup, film, scum, deposits
wastetrash, garbage, rubbish, refuse, debris
debrislint, crumbs, dust, hair, pet hair
oily residuesgrease, film, slick, sludge, bacon grease
cleaningcleaning, clean, housekeeping, clean up, daily cleaning

Opposites

cleanliness/purity

grimecleanliness

Absence of dirt

purity · spotlessness · immaculateness · pristineness · clean

action/process

grimeclean

Free of soil

wash · scrub · cleanse · sanitize · purify

Phrases

Grim ReaperSkeletal embodiment of mortality
grim realityUnpleasant facts of life
dirt and grime
grim expression
grim humorJokes about morbid subjects
grime covered

Family

grim, grimy, griminess, begrimed, grimed, grimily

Familiarity: Top 50,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G