graze

¹

[ greyz ]

verb (used without object)

, grazed, graz·ing.

1. to feed on growing grass and pasturage, as do cattle, sheep, etc.
2. Informal. to eat small portions of food, as appetizers or the like, in place of a full-sized meal or to snack during the course of the day in place of regular meals.

verb (used with object)

, grazed, graz·ing.

1. to feed on (growing grass).
2. to put cattle, sheep, etc., to feed on (grass, pastureland, etc.).
3. to tend (cattle, sheep, etc.) while they are at pasture.

graze

²

[ greyz ]

verb (used with object)

, grazed, graz·ing.

1. to touch or rub lightly in passing.
2. to scrape the skin from; abrade:

   The bullet just grazed his shoulder.

verb (used without object)

, grazed, graz·ing.

1. to touch or rub something lightly, or so as to produce slight abrasion, in passing:

   to graze against a rough wall.

noun

1. a touching or rubbing lightly in passing.
2. a slight scratch, scrape, or wound made in passing; abrasion.

graze

¹

/ ɡreɪz /

verb

1. whenintr, often foll by against or along to brush or scrape (against) gently, esp in passing
2. tr to break the skin of (a part of the body) by scraping

noun

1. the act of grazing
2. a scrape or abrasion made by grazing

graze

²

/ ɡreɪz /

verb

1. to allow (animals) to consume the vegetation on (an area of land), or (of animals, esp cows and sheep) to feed thus
2. tr to tend (livestock) while at pasture
3. informal.
   to eat snacks throughout the day rather than formal meals
4. informal.
   to eat
5. informal.
   intr to switch between television channels while viewing without watching any channel for long
6. to pilfer and eat sweets, vegetables, etc, from supermarket shelves while shopping

noun

1. informal.
   a snack; something to eat

Derived Forms

• ˈgrazer, noun
• ˈgrazingly, adverb

Other Words From

• grazea·ble adjective
• grazer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of graze¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English grasen, Old English grasian, derivative of græs grass

Origin of graze²

First recorded in 1350–1400; perhaps special use of graze ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of graze¹

C17: probably special use of graze ¹; related to Swedish gräsa

Origin of graze²

Old English grasian, from græs grass ; related to Old High German grasōn , Dutch grazen, Norwegian grasa

Example Sentences

Ricardou rented the small plot of land surrounding the house back to relatives of the cheesemaking family he purchased the place from so they could continue to graze their Abondance dairy cows there, as they’d done for centuries.

From Popular-Science

The water will allow his cattle to graze the land in a more intensive way.

From Outside Online

Paul Ensor, a fourth-generation rancher, recently spent more than $100,000 to fence off from grazing cattle a “wee stream” of the glacial river that runs along his acreage.

From Fortune

Casana directed aerial sweeps over grazing land at the cattle ranch, where ancient structures had likely suffered minimal damage.

From Science News

With more otters and thus fewer kelp-grazing urchins, kelp forests can thrive, storing carbon and sheltering salmon, ling cod and other fishes.

From Science News

Low-hanging clouds nestle among the layers of mountains; horses and cows graze in the middle distance.

From The Daily Beast

One of the officers suffered a minor graze wound to his head.

From The Daily Beast

Their regional rivals are the nomadic Missiriya tribe, who come down from the north into Abyei so their cattle can graze.

From The Daily Beast

Many of us had been hit by the balls, but a bruise or a graze of the skin was the worst consequence that had ensued.

From Project Gutenberg

"I call you," the policeman said, and stripping the saddle and bridle from his sweaty horse, turned him loose to graze.

From Project Gutenberg

After lunch the girls strolled around a bit, leaving their mounts to graze lazily.

From Project Gutenberg

Then hit blows the snow off en around, en stock can graze thar until near Christmas.

From Project Gutenberg

Some of the animals suffered so with thirst that they could not graze, and uttered doleful whinneys of distress.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ricochet
• rub
• scrape
• scratch
• skim
• skip