ETYM OF grater to scrape, scratch, French gratter, Late Lat. gratare, cratare; of German origin; cf. Old High Germ. chrazzôn German kratzen, Dutch krassen, Swed. Kratta, and perh. Eng. scratch.
(Homonym: great).
To make a grating or grinding sound by rubbing together; SYN. grind.

1. To scrape with a rasp.
2. To utter in a grating voice.