grate

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   make a grating or grinding sound by rubbing together

   Grate one's teeth in anger.

2. 2
   verb

   reduce to small shreds or pulverize by rubbing against a rough or sharp perforated surface

   Grate carrots and onions.

3. 3
   verb

   furnish with a grate

   A grated fireplace.

Simplified etymology

The verb grate, “to shred or scratch,” comes from Old French grater and is Germanic in origin, related to German kratzen, “to scratch.” The noun for a barred framework, including a fire grate, has a separate origin in Old French and ultimately Latin cratis, “hurdle.”

From Middle English graten, from Old French grater (“to scrape”) ( > French gratter), from Frankish *krattōn, from Proto-Germanic *krattōną. Cognate with Old High German krazzon ( > German kratzen (“to scrawl”) > Danish kradse), Icelandic krassa (“to scrawl”) and Danish kratte.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary