grate
1- a frame of metal bars for holding fuel when burning, as in a fireplace, furnace, or stove.
- a framework of parallel or crossed bars, used as a partition, guard, cover, or the like; grating.
- a fireplace.
- to furnish with a grate or grates.
Origin of grate
1grate
2- to have an irritating or unpleasant effect: His constant chatter grates on my nerves.
- to make a sound of, or as if of, rough scraping; rasp.
- to sound harshly; jar: to grate on the ear.
- to scrape or rub with rough or noisy friction, as one thing on or against another.
- to reduce to small particles by rubbing against a rough surface or a surface with many sharp-edged openings: to grate a carrot.
- to rub together with a harsh, jarring sound: to grate one's teeth.
- to irritate or annoy.
- Archaic. to wear down or away by rough friction.
Origin of grate
2Synonyms for grate
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for grate
rub, mince, pulverize, pound, rasp, scuff, scratch, bray, scrape, abrade, file, skin, gall, bark, raze, fray, annoy, chafe, aggravate, exasperateExamples from the Web for grate
Contemporary Examples of grate
It was kind of like when you walk over a grate and you can hear the subway barreling in.
I occasionally bring it right to the table so people can grate their own.
Preheat the grill to high heat and brush the grate with oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
If you do not have a food processor, grate by hand on a box grater.
Just for starters, you can eat it alone with a glass of red wine, or can grate it over pasta or salads.
Historical Examples of grate
Here, take this seat,' and he moved a great chair close to the grate.
The UnderdogF. Hopkinson Smith
Mr Verloc mumbled, with his nose over the grate, and with marked unwillingness.
The Secret AgentJoseph Conrad
She glanced all round the parlour, from the corner cupboard to the good fire in the grate.
The Secret AgentJoseph Conrad
Then weigh three quarters of a pound, and grate it into a dish.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various BranchesEliza Leslie
Bake the pudding an hour, and grate nutmeg over it when done.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various BranchesEliza Leslie
grate
1- (tr) to reduce to small shreds by rubbing against a rough or sharp perforated surfaceto grate carrots
- to scrape (an object) against something or (objects) together, producing a harsh rasping sound, or (of objects) to scrape with such a sound
- (intr; foll by on or upon) to annoy
- a harsh rasping sound
Word Origin for grate
grate
2- a framework of metal bars for holding fuel in a fireplace, stove, or furnace
- a less common word for fireplace
- another name for grating 1 (def. 1)
- mining a perforated metal screen for grading crushed ore
- (tr) to provide with a grate or grates
Word Origin for grate
Word Origin and History for grate
late 14c., "grill for cooking;" early 15c., "iron bars or cagework across a door or windows," from Anglo-Latin (mid-14c.), from Old French grate or directly from Medieval Latin grata "lattice," from Latin cratis "wickerwork, hurdle" (see hurdle). As a verb meaning "to fit with a grate," from mid-15c. Related: Grated; grating.
"to scrape, rub," late 14c. (implied in grated), from Old French grater "to scrape" (Modern French gratter), from Frankish *kratton, from Proto-Germanic *krattojan (cf. Old High German krazzon "to scratch, scrape," German kratzen "to scratch," Swedish kratta, Danish kratte "to rake"), probably of imitative origin. Senses of "sound harshly," and "annoy" are mid-16c. Italian grattare also is from Germanic. Related: Grated; grating.