gridiron

noun gridirons

1. An instrument of torture on which people were secured before being burned by fire. I know, there have been found seely boores, who have rather endure to have their feet broiled upon a Greedyron, their fingers ends crusht and wrung with the lock of a Pistoll, their eyes all bloody to be thrust out of their heads with wringing and wresting of a cord about their foreheads, before the
2. An iron rack or grate used for broiling meat and fish over coals.

noun gridirons

1. countable, uncountable Any object resembling the rack or grate. Just north of Farringdon station, and to the east of Ray Street, there is a wide cutting bounded by another of those brick walls nicely calculated to be just too high for you to see over. So prop your bike against it, and stand on the down-pointing pedal crank. You are looking at the Ray Street Grid
2. countable, uncountable An openwork frame on which vessels are placed for examination, cleaning, and repairs.
3. countable, uncountable A raised framework from which lighting is suspended.
4. countable, uncountable The field on which American football is played. They were quite close to him now, and crouching low, like tacklers on a gridiron. One of them raised his hand and lowered it, as though counting off seconds—one—two—three!

   Similar: football field

5. Australia, New Zealand, uncountable American and Canadian football, particularly when used to distinguish from other codes of football. 1995 October 3, Peter O′Shea, Sports: Out on the field, The Advocate, page 54, He represented Australia in this year′s rugby tour of England and is as well-known in Australia as any top gridiron player is in the United States.

Similar: North American football, gridiron football, football, American football

verb gridirons · gridironing · gridironed

1. To mark or cover with lines; to crisscross. This basin of Szechuan (literally "Four Streams," but which, reading the character idiographically, I should be inclined to render as "Gridironed by Streams"), […]
2. New Zealand, historical To purchase land so that the remaining adjacent sections are smaller than the minimum area purchasable as freehold, thus excluding potential freeholders.