against the hair
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Against the grain, contrary to its nature. If you should fight, you go against the hah" of your professions.— Merry Wives of Windsor, ii, 3.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “against the hair” mean?
Against the grain, contrary to its nature. If you should fight, you go against the hah" of your professions.— Merry Wives of Windsor, ii, 3.
Is “against the hair” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.