Question

Use what you know about word endings to figure out what "gruffness" means.

gruffer than anyone else
to make someone sound gruff
not able to sound gruff
how gruff someone sounded

Answer 1

Based on the word endings and the context given, "gruffness" most likely means "how gruff someone sounded." The "-ness" ending in "gruffness" indicates a quality or state of being, so it refers to the attribute of sounding gruff.

Step-by-step explanation: