grate

1
[ greyt ]
See synonyms for: grategrating on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a frame of metal bars for holding fuel when burning, as in a fireplace, furnace, or stove.

  2. a framework of parallel or crossed bars, used as a partition, guard, cover, or the like; grating.

verb (used with object),grat·ed, grat·ing.
  1. to furnish with a grate or grates.

Origin of grate

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin grāta “a grating, lattice,” variant of crāta, derivative of Latin crāt- (stem of crātis ) “wickerwork, hurdle”; cf. crate

Other words from grate

  • grateless, adjective
  • gratelike, adjective

Words Nearby grate

Other definitions for grate (2 of 2)

grate2
[ greyt ]

verb (used without object),grat·ed, grat·ing.
  1. to have an irritating or unpleasant effect: His constant chatter grates on my nerves.

  2. to make a sound of, or as if of, rough scraping; rasp.

  1. to sound harshly; jar: to grate on the ear.

  2. to scrape or rub with rough or noisy friction, as one thing on or against another.

verb (used with object),grat·ed, grat·ing.
  1. to reduce to small particles by rubbing against a rough surface or a surface with many sharp-edged openings: to grate a carrot.

  2. to rub together with a harsh, jarring sound: to grate one's teeth.

  1. to irritate or annoy.

  2. Archaic. to wear down or away by rough friction.

Origin of grate

2
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English graten “to reduce to powder, crumble, grate,” from Old French grater, from Germanic; compare German kratzen “to scratch,” Swedish kratta “to rake”

Other words for grate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use grate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for grate (1 of 2)

grate1

/ (ɡreɪt) /


verb
  1. (tr) to reduce to small shreds by rubbing against a rough or sharp perforated surface: to grate carrots

  2. to scrape (an object) against something or (objects) together, producing a harsh rasping sound, or (of objects) to scrape with such a sound

  1. (intr; foll by on or upon) to annoy

noun
  1. a harsh rasping sound

Origin of grate

1
C15: from Old French grater to scrape, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German krazzōn

British Dictionary definitions for grate (2 of 2)

grate2

/ (ɡreɪt) /


noun
  1. a framework of metal bars for holding fuel in a fireplace, stove, or furnace

  2. a less common word for fireplace

  1. another name for grating 1 (def. 1)

  2. mining a perforated metal screen for grading crushed ore

verb
  1. (tr) to provide with a grate or grates

Origin of grate

2
C14: from Old French grate, from Latin crātis hurdle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012