Definition of 'grate'
Word forms: grates, grating, grated
1. countable noun
2. transitive verb
If you grate food such as cheese or carrots, you rub it over a metal tool called a grater so that
the food is cut into very small pieces.
3. intransitive verb
When something grates, it rubs against something else, making a harsh, unpleasant sound.
4. intransitive verb
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
grate
Word Frequency
grate in American English 1
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈgrated or ˈgrating
2.
to rub against (an object) with a harsh, scraping sound
3.
to grind (the teeth) together with a rasping sound
verb intransitive
5.
to grind or rub with a harsh scraping or rasping sound
6.
to make a harsh or rasping sound
7.
to have an irritating or annoying effect
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME graten < OFr grater (Fr gratter) < Frank *kratton, akin to OHG chrazzōn (Ger kratzen), to scratch < IE base *gred- > Alb gërrusë, scraper
Word Frequency
grate in American English 2
noun
2.
a frame of metal bars for holding fuel in a fireplace, stove, or furnace
3.
a fireplace
4. Mining
a screen for grading ores
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈgrated or ˈgrating
5.
to provide with a grate
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
grate in American English 1
(ɡreit) (verb grated, grating)
noun
1.
a frame of metal bars for holding fuel when burning, as in a fireplace, furnace, or stove
3.
a fireplace
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
grateless adjective
gratelike
adjective
Word origin
[1350–1400; ME ‹ ML grāta a grating, var. of crāta, deriv. of L crāt- (s. of crātis) wickerwork, hurdle; cf. crate]Word Frequency
grate in American English 2
(ɡreit) (verb grated, grating)
intransitive verb
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
transitive verb
5.
to reduce to small particles by rubbing against a rough surface or a surface with
many sharp-edged openings
to grate a carrot
6.
to rub together with a harsh, jarring sound
to grate one's teeth
7.
to irritate or annoy
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1375–1425; late ME graten ‹ OF grater ‹ Gmc; cf. G kratzen to scratch]Word Frequency
grate in British English 1
verb
1. (transitive)
to grate carrots
2.
noun
4.
a harsh rasping sound
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C15: from Old French grater to scrape, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German krazzōnWord Frequency
grate in British English 2
verb
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C14: from Old French grate, from Latin crātis hurdle
Trends of
grate
View usage over:
In other languages
grate
British English: grate
/ɡreɪt/ VERB
When you grate food, you shred it into very small pieces using a tool called a grater.
Grate the cheese into a bowl.
- American English: grate /ˈgreɪt/
- Arabic: يَبْشُرُ يحك بسطح خشن
- Brazilian Portuguese: ralar
- Chinese: 磨碎
- Croatian: ribati
- Czech: strouhat
- Danish: rive
- Dutch: raspen
- European Spanish: rallar
- Finnish: raastaa
- French: râper
- German: raspeln
- Greek: τρίβω
- Italian: grattugiare
- Japanese: すりおろす
- Korean: 쇠살대
- Norwegian: raspe
- Polish: utrzeć
- European Portuguese: ralar
- Romanian: a răzui
- Russian: тереть
- Spanish: rallar
- Swedish: riva
- Thai: ขูดให้เป็นฝอย, ขูดให้ละเอียด
- Turkish: şömine ızgarası
- Ukrainian: терти
- Vietnamese: nạo
British English: grate
NOUN /ɡreɪt/
A grate is a framework of metal bars in a fireplace, which holds the coal or wood.
A wood fire burned in the grate.
Browse alphabetically
grate
Related terms of
grate
Source
Definition of grate from the Collins English Dictionary
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