Grot is a catch-all term for the stubborn filth, grease, and debris that builds up on machinery, tools, and work surfaces over time. It can also refer to low-quality, degraded components or useless offcuts that clutter the shop floor. Mechanics and fabricators use the word when complaining about the messy reality of maintenance work or the poor condition of neglected equipment.
Heard on the job
You need to scrape all the grot out of those threads before you try to fit the new bolt.
Also heard as
- guck
- gunge