Gride

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To produce a harsh, grinding sound typically caused by friction ; to scrape or rub together in a way that emits a grating noise ; to cause irritation or discomfort through rough contact
2. Emitting a rough, rasping noise when two surfaces move against each other ; to wear down or abrade by friction ; to cause mental or physical unease by a jarring sensation
3. The act of generating a sharp, unpleasant noise from rubbing materials ; to abrade or chafe due to continuous friction ; to annoy or distress through discordant or grating contact

Etymology: Before it meant a harsh scraping sound, "gride" was a blow. Its roots lie in Middle English "girden" or "gerden," meaning to strike, thrust, or smite, and literally to hit with a rod. That verb is tied to the noun "gerd" or "yerd," a rod or stick, which is also the ancestor of the modern "yard" used for measuring. The word then took a sideways path. Its base sense of striking survives in the related verb "gird," meaning to jibe or scold, while "gride" moved toward the sound and sensation of something scraping against something else. Rubbing materials produce a grating noise, and continued friction wears things down, so the same idea of rough contact came to describe both the racket and the abrasion. Figurative use followed naturally. Something that grides on the nerves annoys or distresses through discordant contact, which is how the sense of irritation grew out of the original image of rough, forceful contact.

Synonyms: pierce, cut, graze, scrape