Nitty gritty

Nitty-gritty

Meaning

The important aspects of a situation; the heart of the matter.

Examples

The solicitor spent ages listing the business details of Grandad’s will. We were all waiting for him to get to the nitty-gritty when we found out how much money we would inherit.

Where did it originate?

USA, mid 20th century.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.