grill

¹

[gril]

noun

1. a grated utensil for broiling meat, fish, vegetables, etc., over a fire; gridiron.

2. a dish of grilled meat, fish, etc.

3. grillroom.

4. Philately.,  a group of small pyramidal marks, embossed or impressed in parallel rows on certain U.S. and Peruvian stamps of the late 19th century to prevent erasure of cancellation marks.

verb (used with object)

1. to broil on a gridiron or other apparatus over or before a fire.

   Synonyms: barbecue

2. to subject to severe and persistent cross-examination or questioning.

   Synonyms: probe, interrogate

3. to torment with heat.

   Synonyms: torture

4. to mark with a series of parallel bars like those of a grill.

verb (used without object)

1. to undergo broiling.

grill

²

[gril]

noun

1. grille.

grill

¹

/ ɡrɪl /

verb

1. Usual US and Canadian word: broil. to cook (meat, fish, etc) by direct heat, as under a grill or over a hot fire, or (of meat, fish, etc) to be cooked in this way

2. (tr; usually passive) to torment with or as if with extreme heat

   the travellers were grilled by the scorching sun

3. informal,  (tr) to subject to insistent or prolonged questioning

noun

1. a device with parallel bars of thin metal on which meat, fish, etc, may be cooked by a fire; gridiron

2. a device on a cooker that radiates heat downwards for grilling meat, fish, etc

3. food cooked by grilling

4. See grillroom

grill

²

/ ɡrɪl /

noun

1. a variant spelling of grille

Other Word Forms

• griller noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of grill¹

1660–70; 1890–95 grill ¹ for def. 6; < French gril gridiron ≪ Latin crātīculum, creātīculō, diminutive of crātis wickerwork, hurdle. See grille

Word History and Origins

Origin of grill¹

C17: from French gril gridiron, from Latin crātīcula fine wickerwork; see _grille

Origin of grill²

C17: see _grille

Example Sentences

Residents grilled hamburgers and chicken on two barbecues.

From Los Angeles Times

In the complaint, workers said that management had caused the problems by cutting corners on ordering cleaning supplies such as dish soap and grill cleaner.

From Los Angeles Times

Much like with its grilled cheeses, Chanel boots and the decline of the print industry, “The Devil Wears Prada” remains scarily prescient when it comes to assessing our culture.

From Salon

Her well-loved peanut butter lengua, little squares of braised tongue topped with grilled radish and pickled onion, arrived on a plate streaked with spicy peanut sauce.

From Los Angeles Times

In Louisville, back when I was a public radio reporter spending my meager Derby winnings, a now-shuttered burrito joint near the track served something that was essentially nacho fries: queso, grilled meat, pico, sour cream.

From Salon

Related Words

• barbecue 
• roast 
• sear