4 VERB If something such as someone's behaviour grates on you or grates , it makes you feel annoyed. □ [V + on ] His manner always grated on me. □ [V ] What truly grates is the painful banter.
5 → see also grating
grate|ful /gre I tfʊl/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are grateful for something that someone has given you or done for you, you have warm, friendly feelings towards them and wish to thank them. □ [+ to ] She was grateful to him for being so good to her. □ I should like to extend my grateful thanks to all the volunteers. [Also + for ] ● grate|ful|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ 'That's kind of you, Sally,' Claire said gratefully.
grat|er /gre I tə r / (graters ) N‑COUNT A grater is a kitchen tool which has a rough surface that you use for cutting food into very small pieces.
grati|fy /græ t I fa I / (gratifies , gratifying , gratified )
1 VERB If you are gratified by something, it gives you pleasure or satisfaction. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] Mr. Dambar was gratified by his response. [Also V n] ● grati|fied ADJ [oft ADJ to-inf, ADJ that] □ He was gratified to hear that his idea had been confirmed. □ They were gratified that America kept its promise. ● grati|fy|ing ADJ □ We took a chance and we've won. It's very gratifying. ● grati|fi|ca|tion /græ t I f I ke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ He is waiting for them to recognise him and eventually they do, much to his gratification.
2 VERB If you gratify your own or another person's desire, you do what is necessary to please yourself or them. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] We gratified our friend's curiosity. ● grati|fi|ca|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ …sexual gratification.
grat|in /græ təŋ/ (gratins ) N‑VAR A gratin is a dish containing vegetables or sometimes meat or fish. It is covered with cheese or cheese sauce and baked in the oven. □ …fresh salmon with potato and cheese gratin.
grat|ing /gre I t I ŋ/ (gratings )
1 N‑COUNT A grating is a flat metal frame with rows of bars across it, which is fastened over a window or over a hole in a wall or the ground. □ …an open grating in the sidewalk.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A grating sound is harsh and unpleasant. □ She recognized the grating voice of Dr. Sarnoff.
gra|tis /græ t I s, grɑː t-/ ADV [ADV after v] If something is done or provided gratis , it does not have to be paid for. □ David gives the first consultation gratis. ● ADJ Gratis is also an adjective. □ What I did for you was free, gratis, you understand?
grati|tude /græ t I tjuːd, [AM ] -tuːd/ N‑UNCOUNT Gratitude is the state of feeling grateful. □ I wish to express my gratitude to Kathy Davis for her immense practical help.
gra|tui|tous /grətjuː I təs, [AM ] -tuː -/ ADJ If you describe something as gratuitous , you mean that it is unnecessary, and often harmful or upsetting. □ There's too much crime and gratuitous violence on TV. □ …his insistence on offering gratuitous advice. ● gra|tui|tous|ly ADV [ADV adj, ADV with v] □ They wanted me to change the title to something less gratuitously offensive.
gra|tu|ity /grətjuː I ti, [AM ] -tuː -/ (gratuities )
1 N‑COUNT A gratuity is a gift of money to someone who has done something for you. [FORMAL ] □ The porter expects a gratuity.
2 N‑COUNT A gratuity is a large gift of money that is given to someone when they leave their job, especially when they leave the armed forces. [BRIT , FORMAL ] □ He is taking a gratuity from the Navy.
grave ◆◇◇ (graves , graver , gravest ) Pronounced /gre I v/, except for meaning 5 , when it is pronounced /grɑː v/. 1 N‑COUNT A grave is a place where a dead person is buried. □ They used to visit her grave twice a year.
2 N‑COUNT [oft to N ] You can refer to someone's death as their grave or to death as the grave . □ …drinking yourself to an early grave. □ Most men would rather go to the grave than own up to feelings of dependency.
3 ADJ A grave event or situation is very serious, important, and worrying. □ He said that the situation in his country is very grave. □ I have grave doubts that the documents tell the whole story. ● grave|ly ADV [ADV adj, ADV with v] □ They had gravely impaired the credibility of the government.
4 ADJ A grave person is quiet and serious in their appearance or behaviour. □ William was up on the roof for some time and when he came down he looked grave. ● grave|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ 'I think I've covered that business more than adequately,' he said gravely.
5 ADJ [ADJ n] In some languages such as French, a grave accent is a symbol that is placed over a vowel in a word to show how the vowel is pronounced. For example, the word 'mère' has a grave accent over the first 'e'.
6 PHRASE If you say that someone who is dead would turn in their grave at something that is happening now, you mean that they would be very shocked or upset by it, if they were alive. □ Darwin must be turning in his grave at the thought of what is being perpetrated in his name.
7 from the cradle to the grave → see cradle SYNONYMS grave NOUN 1
tomb: The tomb was overgrown with ivy.
vault: He ordered that Matilda's body should be buried in the family vault.