Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) determined, firm, plucky.

1847		J.S. Robb Streaks of Squatter Life 106: Thur never was a grittyer crowd congregated before on that stream.
1866		S. Smith Way Down East 62: And then father would look gritty enough to bite a board-nail in two.
1878		J.H. Beadle Western Wilds 41: More’n once the robbers would tackle some gritty man that was handy with his ‘barkers,’ an’ he’d get away with two or three of ’em.
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 6 Jan. 32/1: ‘Now, you chaps are pretty gritty / In the city,’ / Murmured Bill. / ‘But you go to North Australia / And you’ll find your courage fail yer’.
1911		J. Lomax Cowboy Songs 154: And about old Paul Jones, a mean, fighting son of a gun, / Who was the grittiest cuss that ever pulled a gun.
1917		(con. 1908) E. Lynn Adventures of a Woman Hobo 209: If she is half the gritty little heroine that you make her out to be, I’ll bring her home.
1928		M. Bodenheim Georgie May 254: They was strong and gritty, lak men ought to be.

2. (UK black) of a female, sexy.

2013		K. Koke ‘Fire in the Booth’ 🎵 I like the strong hoes pretty with a long nose / She gets gritty always with me when I'm on road.
2016		Skepta ‘Crime Riddim’ 🎵 Shorty found some gritty tings to keep us company.