26984 words

grate

9 definitions • 8 examples
1
to rub food against a grater in order to cut it into a lot of small pieces:

Examples:

grated cheese
2
When two hard objects grate, they rub together, sometimes making a sharp unpleasant sound.
3
When a noise or behaviour grates, it annoys you:

Examples:

grate on After a while her voice really started to grate on me.
It's the way she's always talking about herself - it just grates on me.
4
5
a structure made of iron bars for holding wood or other fuel, esp. in a fireplace
6
A grate is also a structure of metal bars that covers an opening:

Examples:

They have grates across every window.
7
(of two hard objects) to rub together, often making an unpleasant sound, or to make an unpleasant sound of this kind:

Examples:

The trolley’s wheels grated horribly as it went around the curve.
8
to have an annoying or painful effect:

Examples:

His constant whining for attention is beginning to grate on my nerves.
9
to rub food against the rough surface of a metal device having holes through which small pieces of the food fall as they break off:

Examples:

Would you grate the cheese?
Add the grated carrots to the salad.

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