grate

/greɪt/

/greɪt/

Other forms: grated; grating; grates

When you grate something you rip it to shreds, like a pound of solid cheese that you shred for a recipe.

The verb grate entered the English language in the fourteenth century by way of the French word grater, meaning “to scrape.” Using grate in this sense, you might grate your teeth or grate a carrot, meaning rub or pulverize. By the sixteenth century the word had taken on the additional meaning of “sound harshly” and “annoy.” This evolution makes sense if you think about it: If you’ve ever had anything really annoy you — "grate on your nerves" — it can almost seem as if a cheese grater has been applied to your nerves and is slowly ripping them to shreds.

Definitions of grate

1. verb

   reduce to small shreds or pulverize by rubbing against a rough or sharp perforated surface
   “grate carrots and onions”

   “grate nutmeg”

   type of:

   rub

   move over something with pressure
2. verb

   make a grating or grinding sound by rubbing together
   “grate one's teeth in anger”

   synonyms: grind

   types:

   gnash

   grind together, of teeth

   chew, jaw, manducate, masticate

   chew (food); to bite and grind with the teeth

   champ, chomp

   chew noisily

   champ

   chafe at the bit, like horses

   gum, mumble

   grind with the gums; chew without teeth and with great difficulty

   chaw

   chew without swallowing

   crunch, munch

   chew noisily

   gnaw

   bite or chew on with the teeth

   type of:

   break up, fragment, fragmentise, fragmentize

   break or cause to break into pieces
3. verb

   scratch repeatedly
   synonyms: scrape

   types:

   paw

   scrape with the paws

   type of:

   rub

   move over something with pressure
4. verb

   gnaw into; make resentful or angry
   synonyms: eat into, fester, fret, gnaw, rankle

   type of:

   annoy, bother, chafe, devil, get at, get to, gravel, irritate, nark, nettle, rag, rile, vex

   cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
5. noun

   a harsh rasping sound made by scraping something
   type of:

   noise

   sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
6. noun

   a barrier that has parallel or crossed bars blocking a passage but admitting air
   synonyms: grating

   types:

   grille, radiator grille

   grating that admits cooling air to car's radiator

   type of:

   barrier

   a structure or object that impedes free movement
7. noun

   a frame of iron bars to hold a fire
   synonyms: grating

   type of:

   framework

   a structure supporting or containing something
8. verb

   furnish with a grate
   “a grated fireplace”

   type of:

   furnish, provide, render, supply

   give something useful or necessary to