Dictionary

A horizontal metal grill through which water, ash, or small objects can fall, while larger objects cannot

Example: 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

To furnish with grates; to protect with a grating or crossbars

Example: to grate a window

To shred (things, usually foodstuffs), by rubbing across a grater

Example: I need to grate the cheese before the potato is cooked.

To make an unpleasant rasping sound, often as the result of rubbing against something

Example: Listening to his teeth grate all day long drives me mad.

(by extension) to get on one's nerves; to irritate, annoy

Example: She’s nice enough, but she can begin to grate if there is no-one else to talk to.

(by extension) to annoy

Serving to gratify; agreeable.

Relatively large in scale, size, extent, number (i.e. having many parts or members) or duration (i.e. relatively long); very big.

Example: A great storm is approaching our shores.

Of larger size or more importance than others of its kind.

Example: the great auk

(qualifying nouns of family relationship) Involving more generations than the qualified word implies — as many extra generations as repetitions of the word great (from 1510s). [see Derived terms]

Example: great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, great-great-great-grandfather

(followed by 'with') Pregnant; large with young; full of.

Example: great with child