grill
Cook food on a grill
To cook food over strong heat, usually on metal bars above a fire or heat source.
to grill [food] (for [time])
- We usually grill burgers in the backyard on summer evenings.
- Brush the fish with oil before you grill it.
- She grilled the peppers until their skins were blackened and blistered.
- The chef likes to grill the steak over charcoal for extra flavor.
- You can grill the vegetables on skewers to keep them from falling through.
- Let’s grill some burgers for dinner.
- He grilled the fish for ten minutes on each side.
- I like to grill vegetables instead of frying them.
- Please grill the chicken until it is fully cooked.
- We grilled hot dogs outside at the party.
Cooking device with metal bars
A machine or tool for cooking food on metal bars over strong heat.
cook [food] on the grill
- I scrubbed the grill after we finished cooking.
- They bought a new gas grill for the patio.
- The burgers are already on the grill.
- Make sure the grill is hot before you start.
- We keep the grill covered when it rains.
- He cooked the meat on the grill.
- We have a small electric grill in the kitchen.
- Please clean the grill after you use it.
- She put the fish on the grill.
- They keep the grill on the balcony.
Question someone intensely
To ask someone many strong, detailed questions for a long time.
to grill [someone] (about [something])
- Detectives grilled the suspect for six hours.
- The reporter grilled the CEO about the company’s safety record.
- My parents grilled me about where I had been all night.
- The committee spent the morning grilling the minister over the scandal.
- She hates being grilled about her personal life at family dinners.
- The police grilled him for a long time.
- My dad grilled me about my new boyfriend.
- Reporters grilled the player after the game.
- The teacher grilled the students about the test rules.
- They grilled her about how she spent the money.
Casual restaurant serving grilled food
A simple, not very expensive restaurant that sells meat and other food cooked on a grill.
eat at [name] Grill
- We met at a little bar and grill near the stadium.
- The hotel has a rooftop grill that’s open all summer.
- There’s a new seafood grill on the corner.
- They run a family grill that’s popular with locals.
- We stopped at a roadside grill for lunch.
- We had dinner at a small grill near our hotel.
- They opened a new grill in our town.
- The grill is famous for its steaks.
- Let’s meet at the sports grill after work.
- Our hotel has a grill on the first floor.
Protective or decorative framework
A hard cover with bars or many holes that protects or decorates the front of something, like a car or a vent.
the [car/vent/speaker] grill
- The car’s front grill was damaged in the minor collision.
- Dust had built up on the air vent grill.
- He removed the speaker grill to fix the wiring.
- The shop installed metal grills over the windows for security.
- A distinctive chrome grill is part of the brand’s design.
- The car’s grill is broken.
- Please clean the dust from the air grill.
- There is a metal grill over the window.
- The speaker grill is black and round.
- They put a strong grill in front of the door.
Decorative jewelry for teeth
Shiny jewelry that some people wear over their front teeth, usually made of metal and sometimes diamonds.
wear a [adjective] grill
- The rapper showed off his new diamond grill in the video.
- He took out his grill before eating.
- Her gold grill matched the rest of her jewelry.
- The jeweler specializes in custom grills for musicians.
- He smiled wide so everyone could see his grill.
- The singer wears a gold grill on his teeth.
- He took off his grill at home.
- She bought a new diamond grill.
- His grill is very bright when he smiles.
- Many rappers like to wear grills.
Slang for someone’s face
Informal slang word for a person’s face, especially the front with the mouth and teeth.
in [someone]’s grill
- He got right up in my grill and started shouting.
- Why are you all up in my grill this morning?
- She told him to get out of her grill before there was a problem.
- Don’t be in my grill when I’m trying to work.
- He leaned in, his grill only inches from mine.
- He was all in my grill, and I felt angry.
- She told him, “Get out of my grill!”
- Don’t get in my grill like that.
- The man came close, right in his grill.
- They were nose to nose, in each other’s grills.
- Base: grill
- Plural: grills
- Base: grill
- 3rd Person Singular: grills
- Present Participle: grilling
- Past: grilled
be on the grill
1Be under harsh questioning
To be in a situation where people are asking you many hard questions or judging you very closely.
- The minister was on the grill for most of the press conference.
- I was on the grill all morning in that performance review.
fire up the grill
1Start heating the grill
To light or turn on the grill so that it becomes hot and ready for cooking.
- Let’s fire up the grill and make some burgers.
- He fired up the grill while she prepared the salad.
grill out
1Cook and eat outside on a grill
To cook food outside on a grill and usually eat it there, like having a small barbecue.
- We’re going to grill out by the lake this weekend.
- They love to grill out whenever the weather is nice.
grill someone about something
1Question someone hard about details
To ask a person many strong, detailed questions about a particular thing.
- The journalist grilled the mayor about the rising crime rate.
- My parents grilled me about my plans for the weekend.
in someone’s grill
1Very close to someone’s face
To be right in front of someone’s face in a way that feels strong, pushy, or annoying.
- He was all in my grill, yelling about the mistake.
- Don’t get in her grill unless you want an argument.
put someone on the grill
1Subject someone to hard questioning
To make someone answer many difficult questions, often in a way that feels very hard or uncomfortable.
- The committee really put the director on the grill over the budget cuts.
- My boss put me on the grill about the missed deadline.
throw something on the grill
1Put food onto the grill
To quickly put food on the hot grill so it can cook.
- We can just throw some veggies on the grill too.
- He threw a few sausages on the grill for a quick snack.
up in someone’s grill
1Aggressively in someone’s face
To be very, very close to someone’s face in a way that feels aggressive or rude.
- She got right up in his grill and told him to leave.
- Why are you up in my grill this early in the morning?