grate

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. v. To reduce to fragments, shreds, or powder by rubbing against an abrasive surface.
2. v. To cause to make a harsh grinding or rasping sound through friction: grated her teeth in anger.
3. v. To irritate or annoy persistently.
4. v. Archaic To rub or wear away.
5. v. To make a harsh rasping sound by or as if by scraping or grinding.
6. v. To cause irritation or annoyance: a noise that grates on one's nerves.
7. n. A harsh rasping sound made by scraping or rubbing: the grate of a key in a lock.
8. n. A framework of parallel or latticed bars for blocking an opening.
9. n. A framework of metal bars used to hold fuel or food in a stove, furnace, or fireplace.
10. n. A fireplace.
11. n. A perforated iron plate or screen for sieving and grading crushed ore.
12. v. To equip with a grate.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. To rub together or against strongly so as to produce a harsh scraping sound: as, to grate the teeth.
2. To reduce to small particles by rubbing or rasping with something rough or indented: as, to grate a nutmeg or the peel of a lemon.
3. To affect harshly and painfully, as if by abrasion; fret.
4. To produce a harsh or jarring sound of, as by the friction of rough bodies.
5. To scratch or scrape with; use for attrition or abrasion.
6. To make a harsh or rasping sound by friction or attrition; give out a scraping noise.
7. To produce a harsh impression; cause irritation or chafing.
8. n. A grater.
9. n. A partition made with bars parallel to or crossing one another; a framework of bars in a door, window, hatchway, or other opening.
10. n. A frame of metal bars in which fuel is burned, especially coal.
11. n. The floor of a fire-box or furnace, formed of a series or group of bars; the bottom of a furnace, on which the fuel rests, and through which it is supplied with air.
12. n. In metallurgy: A perforated metal plate used in the stamping of ores, through which the pounded ore passes.
13. n. A screen.
14. n. An ore-roasting furnace with a grate revolving horizontally.
15. To furnish with a grate or grates; fill in with cross-bars: as, to grate a window.
16. Pleasant; agreeable.

Wiktionary

1. n. A horizontal metal grille through which water, ash, or small objects can fall, while larger objects cannot.
2. v. transitive, cooking To shred things, usually foodstuffs, by rubbing across a grater.
3. v. intransitive To rub against, making a (usually unpleasant) squeaking sound.
4. v. by extension To grate on one’s nerves; to irritate or annoy.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. adj. obsolete Serving to gratify; agreeable.
2. n. A structure or frame containing parallel or crosed bars, with interstices; a kind of latticework, such as is used ia the windows of prisons and cloisters.
3. n. A frame or bed, or kind of basket, of iron bars, for holding fuel while burning.
4. v. To furnish with grates; to protect with a grating or crossbars.
5. v. To rub roughly or harshly, as one body against another, causing a harsh sound; ; to produce (a harsh sound) by rubbing.
6. v. To reduce to small particles by rubbing with anything rough or indented.
7. v. To fret; to irritate; to offend.
8. v. To make a harsh sound by friction.
9. v. To produce the effect of rubbing with a hard rough material; to cause wearing, tearing, or bruising. Hence; To produce exasperation, soreness, or grief; to offend by oppression or importunity.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. make a grating or grinding sound by rubbing together
2. n. a harsh rasping sound made by scraping something
3. n. a barrier that has parallel or crossed bars blocking a passage but admitting air
4. v. gnaw into; make resentful or angry
5. v. scratch repeatedly
6. n. a frame of iron bars to hold a fire
7. v. reduce to small shreds or pulverize by rubbing against a rough or sharp perforated surface
8. v. furnish with a grate