gridiron
An instrument of torture on which people were secured before being burned by fireAn instrument of torture on which people were secured before being burned by fire.
» Why do gridiron football players wear pads?
Meaning
7 sensesAn instrument of torture on which people were secured before being burned by fire.
An iron rack or grate used for broiling meat and fish over coals.
Rost
a cooking utensil of parallel metal bars; used to grill fish or meat
(countable, uncountable)Any object resembling the rack or grate.
(countable, uncountable)An openwork frame on which vessels are placed for examination, cleaning, and repairs.
(countable, uncountable)A raised framework from which lighting is suspended.
(countable, uncountable)The field on which American football is played.
the playing field on which football is played
(Australia, New Zealand, uncountable)American and Canadian football, particularly when used to distinguish from other codes of football.
2009, Deborah Healey, Sport and the Law, reference note, UNSW Press, page 271, 119 Yasser (1985) cites the famous US example of gridiron player Dick Butkus of the Chicago Bears.
Examples
2 sentencesWhy do gridiron football players wear pads?
In Yiddish, soccer is called "fusbol" while gridiron football is called "futbol."
Translations
5 languagesBy meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English gridirne, gredirne, gredyron, gredeyron, grydern, grydyryne, girdirin,From Middle English gridirne, gredirne, gredyron, gredeyron, grydern, grydyryne, girdirin, girderen, variants of Middle English gredire, gredyre, itself an alteration of Middle English gridel (“griddle”). The ending was assimilated to iron, as if from grid + iron, whence grid was later derived.
From resembling the shape of a gridiron (a square rectilinear grid).
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Forms
plural: gridironsSynonyms
6 synonyms- the playing field on which football is played:football field
- a cooking utensil of parallel metal bars; used to grill fish or meat:grid