A British Grill Heats From Above; an American One From Below
To grill is to cook with direct heat. The direction of that heat is opposite in British and American kitchens.
To grill is to cook food with direct radiant heat. Which direction the heat comes from depends on the country: a British grill is the element at the top of the oven, so heat falls onto the food, while an American grill is a barbecue with heat from below. What Americans call *broiling* is what the British call grilling. To *grill* someone also means to question them relentlessly, an image of holding them over the heat.
- To cook with direct heat. *Grill the fish.*
- An oven element (British). *Under the grill.*
- A barbecue (American). *Fire up the grill.*
- To interrogate. *They grilled him for hours.*
- Broil — the American word for British grilling. *Broil it.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | grill | Grill it. |
| Past | grilled | Grilled cheese. |
| Noun | grill | The grill. |
| Noun | grilling | A grilling. |
| Different word | grille | A radiator grille. |
- Put it under the grill for two minutes.British.
- We grilled steaks in the garden.American.
- The committee gave him a grilling.Questioning.
Grill or grille?
- Grill — the cooking method or appliance
- Grille — a metal grating, as on a car or a window
- Both from French *gril* and *grille*
- Broil (US) — heat from above, the British grill
- Griddle — a flat plate, heat by conduction not radiation
French *gril*, a gridiron, from Latin *craticula*, a small grating, a diminutive of *cratis*, wickerwork.
Is broiling the same as grilling?
American broiling is British grilling: heat from above. American grilling is British barbecuing.
What is the difference between grill and grille?
Grill is for cooking. Grille is a protective metal grating, as on the front of a car.