brusque and surly and forbidding; crusty remarks; a crusty old man; his curmudgeonly temper; gruff manner; a gruff reply

[ Syn: crusty , curmudgeonly , ill-humored , ill-humoured ]

deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness or emotion; gruff voices; the dogs gruff barking; hoarse cries; makes all the instruments sound powerful but husky- Virgil Thomson

[ Syn: hoarse , husky ]