Words to use and where they came from.

 

Abrasive means, literally, "causing damage or wear by rubbing, grinding, or scraping." Figuratively, it is used to describe people or things that are unpleasant or irritating. Once upon a time, English had abrade and abrase. While abrade remains a familiar word, abrase is rare but survives in abrasive. Both verbs come from abrādere, meaning "to remove by rubbing" or "to scrape off."

Sour grapes noun: Finding fault with or expressing disdain for something one cannot have. From the Aesop’s fable The Fox and the Grapes, in which a hungry fox tries to reach grapes hanging on a high vine and when unsuccessful, declares that the grapes are probably sour. Earliest documented use: 1760.