DEFINITIONS

graze

1
[ greyz ]
/ greɪz /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR graze ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), grazed, graz·ing.

to feed on growing grass and pasturage, as do cattle, sheep, etc.
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.

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

Content related to graze

Weird Parts Of The Foods We LoveThe depression at the bottom of an apple, with a little star-shaped bud in the center, is called the calyx.
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Weird Parts Of The Foods We LoveThe depression at the bottom of an apple, with a little star-shaped bud in the center, is called the calyx.
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Words related to graze

rub, scratch, scrape, ricochet, skim, kiss, skip, browse, nibble, bite, forage, eat, shave, chafe, carom, brush, abrade, crunch, gnaw, masticate

Words nearby graze

grayson, graywacke, graywater, graywether, graz, graze, grazier, grazing, grazioso, grb, gre

Origin of graze

1
before 1000; Middle English grasen, Old English grasian, derivative of græs grass

OTHER WORDS FROM graze

graze·a·ble, adjectivegraz·er, noun

Definition for graze (2 of 2)

graze2
[ greyz ]
/ greɪz /

verb (used with object), grazed, graz·ing.

to touch or rub lightly in passing.
to scrape the skin from; abrade: The bullet just grazed his shoulder.

verb (used without object), grazed, graz·ing.

to touch or rub something lightly, or so as to produce slight abrasion, in passing: to graze against a rough wall.

noun

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

Origin of graze

2
1595–1605; perhaps special use of graze1; for the semantic shift compare French effleurer, derivative of fleur flower, in the same meaning

OTHER WORDS FROM graze

graz·er, noungraz·ing·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for graze

British Dictionary definitions for graze (1 of 2)

graze1
/ (ɡreɪz) /

verb

noun

Southern African informal a snack; something to eat

Word Origin for graze

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

British Dictionary definitions for graze (2 of 2)

graze2
/ (ɡreɪz) /

verb

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

noun

the act of grazing
a scrape or abrasion made by grazing

Derived forms of graze

grazer, noungrazingly, adverb

Word Origin for graze

C17: probably special use of graze 1; related to Swedish gräsa
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012