gridiron
/ˈɡrɪdʌɪən
/noun
1A frame of parallel bars or beams, typically in two sets forming a grid, in particular:
1.1A frame of parallel metal bars used for grilling meat or fish over an open fire.Show vegetarians the courtesy of either a separate barbecue or a fresh gridiron....
- By the early 1800's, gridirons were not used as much as most homes had begun using kitchen stoves upon which to cook.
1.2A frame of parallel beams for supporting a ship in dock.
1.3(In the theatre) a framework over a stage supporting scenery and lighting.The stage is equipped with traps, a fly loft, lights, ladders and the height from stage to gridiron is 40 feet.
2A field for American football, marked with regularly spaced parallel lines.It doesn't much resemble the game that we have been watching for the past 20 weeks on NFL gridirons, but that doesn't mean that the players are playing hard....
- Giants TE Jeremy Shockey was named the NFL's Rookie of the Year Wednesday, capping off a season in which his production on the field was often overshadowed by his antics off the gridiron.
- Since the 1960s, the gridiron, baseball field, basketball court, and boxing ring have spawned legions of entrepreneurs who sought to compete in the business arena.
2.1 [mass noun] North American The sport of American football: [as modifier]: the national gridiron season...
- What's interesting to me here is the importance of sport to Americans and Brits, particularly football - gridiron and/or soccer.
- It has also become common practice in basketball, gridiron and other major sports in the United States.
- Condensing the playoffs would also avoid competition with the World Series, National Football League games, and college gridiron games.
3A grid pattern, especially of streets.It is in America that the gridiron streetplan beloved of countless utopians has had its most rampant expression.
Origin
Middle English gredire, alteration of gredile 'griddle' by association with iron.