Grate

Late Latin grata, from Latin word for a hurdle; or Italian grata, of the same origin.

Full definition of grate

(plural grates)

A horizontal metal grille through which water, ash, or small objects can fall, while larger objects cannot.The grate stopped the sheep from escaping from their field.

A frame or bed, or kind of basket, of iron bars, for holding fuel while burning.

(transitive) To furnish with grates; to protect with a grating or crossbars.to grate a window

From Old French grater ("to scrape") ( >

French gratter), from Frankish kratton, Proto-Germanic. Cognate with Old High German krazzon

Online Etymology Dictionary|glut

( >

German kratzen ("to scrawl") >

Danish kradse ), Icelandic krassa ("to scrawl")

Etymology of kradse in

and Danish kratte.

(transitive, cooking) To shred things, usually foodstuffs, by rubbing across a grater.
I need to grate the cheese before the potato is cooked.
(intransitive) To rub against, making a (usually unpleasant) squeaking sound.

1856: Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary, Part 3 Chapter X, translated by Eleanor Marx-AvelingThe gate suddenly grated. It was Lestiboudois; he came to fetch his spade, that he had forgotten. He recognised Justin climbing over the wall, and at last knew who was the culprit who stole his potatoes.
1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 7, The turmoil went on—no rest, no peace. â€¦ It was nearly eleven o'clock now, and he strolled out again. In the little fair created by the costers' barrows the evening only seemed beginning; and the naphtha flares made one's eyes ache, the men's voices grated harshly, and the girls' faces saddened one.

Listening to his teeth grate all day long drives me mad.
The chalk grated against the board.
(by extension, intransitive) To grate on oneâ€™s nerves; to irritate or annoy.
Sheâ€™s nice enough, but she can begin to grate if there is no-one else to talk to.
(by extension, transitive, obsolete) To annoy.

Latin gratus ("agreeable").