nitty-gritty, the
adjective phrase : a lot of nittygritty campaigning as well
noun phrase - The most asi elements, esp when unwelcome or unpleasant; harsh realities: from what they call the nitty gritty and the grass roots/ the awesome and awful nitty gritty of today's urban condition/ and shifting from ideology to the nitty (1960s+ Black)
- Practical details
[fr the repellent association of nits, ''the eggs of hair lice, young hair lice,'' and grit, ''abrasive granules'']