grill

¹ American  

[gril] / grɪl /

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.

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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 American  

[gril] / grɪl /

noun

1. grille.

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grill ¹ British  

/ 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

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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 British  

/ ɡrɪl /

noun

1. a variant spelling of grille

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Other Word Forms

• griller noun

Etymology

Origin of grill

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

Example Sentences

Bea becomes entangled with a cute waiter at the remote region’s bar and grill.

From The Wall Street Journal

The leaders of West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council will be grilled by MPs later over a decision not to allow Israeli football fans to attend a match in the city last year.

From BBC

Want to add chicken to dinner without hauling out a grill or roasting a whole bird?

From Salon

We grilled pros on the best clothes, shoes and gadgets—just in time for your extremely ambitious 2026 fitness goals.

From The Wall Street Journal

The complex, in the area of Roscoe Boulevard and Amestoy Avenue, wraps around a central area with a pool, jacuzzi and outdoor grills.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• barbecue
• roast
• sear