grate

grate — verb

1. to rub food such as cheese or vegetables against a rough metal surface with shar

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to rub food such as cheese or vegetables against a rough metal surface with sharp holes, cutting it into thin strips or very small pieces

Example

Chidi grated some Parmesan cheese over the pasta before serving.

grate + noun phrase (cheese) for cooking

The recipe calls for two cups of grated carrots mixed into the batter.

grated + noun as adjective (grated carrots)

Common collocations
  • grate cheese
  • grate carrots
  • grate lemon zest
  • grate ginger
  • grate nutmeg
  • finely grated
  • coarsely grated
  • freshly grated
Synonyms
  • shred

    broader term — can mean tearing by hand or using a grater; grate is specifically the action against a grater's rough surface.

  • mince

    cut into very small irregular pieces with a knife or machine, not against a grating surface.

  • grind

    crush into fine particles or powder, often using a mill rather than a grater.

Grammar Patterns

grate + noun phrase

grated + noun (as adjective)

Usage Note

Frequently used in the past-participle form (grated) placed before a noun, especially in recipes and cooking instructions (e.g., grated cheese, grated carrot, grated nutmeg). The tool used is called a grater, and it typically has sides with different-sized holes for fine or coarse grating.

Common Mistakes

She minced the carrot for the salad' (when long thin strips are intended).
She grated the carrot for the salad.
mincing produces very small, irregular pieces; grating cuts against a rough surface to produce more uniform shreds.
Please shred the cheese with a grater' (acceptable but less precise).
Please grate the cheese with a grater.
grate specifically means using a grater; shred is broader and can mean tearing by hand or with a different tool.

2. when two hard surfaces rub against each other, producing a sharp, harsh, scrapin

2.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

when two hard surfaces rub against each other, producing a sharp, harsh, scraping noise that is unpleasant to hear

Example

The metal gate grated against the concrete floor every time Cyrus opened it.

grate against + hard surface (concrete)

Kabir could hear the broken gears grating inside the old clock.

Common collocations
  • grate against
  • grate on
  • grate together
  • metal grate
  • gears grate
Synonyms
  • scrape

    softer, broader term for rubbing against a surface; grate specifically implies a harsh, jarring noise.

  • grind

    stronger crushing/rubbing motion, often with pressure; grate is lighter but still harsh.

  • rasp

    less common; describes a rough, harsh sound similar to grating, often used for voices or breathing.

Grammar Patterns

grate against + noun phrase

grate on + noun phrase

Usage Note

Typically describes the noise of metal, stone, or wood rubbing against another hard surface. Often used with against (direct contact) or on (surface being scraped). The sound is distinctively harsh — compare with squeak (high-pitched) or creak (groaning).

Common Mistakes

The door squeaked against the frame' (when describing a rough, harsh sound).
The door grated against the frame.
squeak is a high-pitched, thin sound; grate is a rough, grinding sound.

3. if a person's behaviour, way of speaking, or a repeated noise grates on you, it

3.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

if a person's behaviour, way of speaking, or a repeated noise grates on you, it annoys you because you find it unpleasant and hard to ignore

Example

His constant humming during meetings began to grate on Chidi's nerves.

grate on + possessive + nerves

The sound of the dripping faucet grated on Iris all night long.

grate on + person directly

Common collocations
  • grate on someone's nerves
  • grate on someone
  • grate upon
  • begin to grate
  • start to grate
Synonyms
  • irritate

    broader and more common; can be used with a direct object. Grate on is slightly more informal and implies cumulative annoyance.

  • annoy

    lighter in degree; grate on suggests a persistent, wearing irritation rather than a brief annoyance.

  • get on one's nerves

    idiomatic, same register and meaning as grate on one's nerves; slightly more conversational.

Antonyms
  • please

    direct opposite in effect — where grating annoys, pleasing soothes.

  • soothe

    specifically calms the nerves, opposite of grating on them.

Grammar Patterns

grate on + person

grate on + nerves

grate upon + noun phrase

Usage Note

Almost always used with on or upon followed by a person or the word nerves. Unlike irritate, which can take a direct object (The noise irritated me), grate must be followed by on/upon before the object (*The noise grated me is incorrect). The subject is typically a sound, behaviour, mannerism, or habit.

Common Mistakes

His loud chewing grates me.
His loud chewing grates on me.
grate requires the preposition on when referring to annoyance; without on the sentence implies a scraping sound.
The music irritated on my nerves.
The music grated on my nerves.
irritate takes a direct object; grate on is the correct pattern for this sense.

grate — noun

Word family

  • grater
    nounB1
  • grating
    adjectiveB2
  • gratingly
    adverbC1
  • grated
    adjectiveB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These four verbs all describe reducing food into smaller pieces, but they differ in method and result. Grate specifically means rubbing food against a rough metal surface with sharp-edged holes, producing thin strips or fine crumbs — the tool (a grater) defines the action. Shred means pulling or cutting food into long, thin strips, often by hand or with a shredding blade; you might shred lettuce for a salad but grate cheese for a pizza. Mince involves chopping food into very small, irregular pieces with a knife or a food processor, without any grating surface. Grind crushes food into a fine powder or paste using a mill, mortar, or grinder — think of grinding coffee beans or black pepper. In a recipe: 'Grate the Parmesan over the pasta' (rubbing against a grater), 'shred the cabbage' (cutting into long strips), 'mince the garlic' (fine chopping), and 'grind the cinnamon sticks' (powdering).

grate ↗shred ↗mincegrind ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • nerves
  • cheese
  • carrots
  • ginger
  • nutmeg
  • lemon zest
  • logs
  • ashes
  • gears
  • chains

Adverbs

Phrases

  • grate on someone's nerves
  • grate against the floor
  • finely grated cheese
  • fireplace grate

Prepositions

  • on (grate on someone)
  • against (grate against)
  • upon (grate upon)

Etymology

Germanic (Frankish)Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word grate comes from two different historical sources that merged in English. The verb (shredding food) traces back to Old French 'grater' meaning 'to scrape or scratch', which came from a Frankish (Germanic) root *krattōn. The noun (fireplace frame) comes from Latin 'craticula' (a small gridiron), which passed through Old French 'grille' or 'grate' meaning a grating or lattice. The sense 'to irritate' grew out of the scraping-sound meaning — something that scrapes harshly on your ears came to mean something that scrapes on your patience.