Grate (noun) refers to a framework of metal bars fixed to a window, drain, or staircase to allow passage of air or liquids while keeping debris out. It can also mean to irritate or annoy someone when used as a verb, typically in the phrase ‘to grate on someone’s nerves.’ In everyday speech, the noun sense is common in construction or plumbing contexts, while the verb sense appears in descriptions of friction or irritation.
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