graze

1
[ greyz ]
See synonyms for: grazegrazedgrazinggrazer on Thesaurus.com

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.).

  1. to tend (cattle, sheep, etc.) while they are at pasture.

Origin of graze

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

Other words from graze

  • graze·a·ble, adjective
  • grazer, noun

Words Nearby graze

Other definitions for graze (2 of 2)

graze2
[ 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.

Origin of graze

2
First recorded in 1350–1400; perhaps special use of graze1

Other words from graze

  • grazer, noun
  • graz·ing·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use graze in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for graze (1 of 2)

graze1

/ (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

  1. informal to eat snacks throughout the day rather than formal meals

  2. Southern African informal to eat

  3. (intr) informal to switch between television channels while viewing without watching any channel for long

  4. US to pilfer and eat sweets, vegetables, etc, from supermarket shelves while shopping

noun
  1. Southern African informal a snack; something to eat

Origin of graze

1
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
  1. (when intr, 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

Origin of graze

2
C17: probably special use of graze 1; related to Swedish gräsa

Derived forms of graze

  • grazer, noun
  • grazingly, adverb

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