grating
     adj : unpleasantly harsh or grating in sound; "a gravelly voice"
           [syn: {gravel}, {gravelly}, {rasping}, {raspy}, {rough}]
     n 1: a barrier that has parallel or crossed bars blocking a
          passage but admitting air [syn: {grate}]
     2: a frame of iron bars to hold a fire [syn: {grate}]
     3: optical device consisting of a surface with many parallel
        grooves in it; disperses a beam of light (or other
        electromagnetic radiation) into its wavelengths to produce
        its spectrum [syn: {diffraction grating}]
Source: WordNet® 2.0