grazing

[ grey-zing ]

/ ˈgreɪ zɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR grazing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

pastureland; a pasture.

Informal. the act or practice of switching television channels frequently to watch several programs.

Words nearby grazing

graywater, graywether, graz, graze, grazier, grazing, grazioso, grb, gre, grease, grease cup

Origin of grazing

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at graze¹, -ing¹

Definition for grazing (2 of 3)

graze¹

[ greyz ]

/ greɪz /

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.

Origin of graze

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

OTHER WORDS FROM graze

graze·a·ble, adjectivegraz·er, noun

Definition for grazing (3 of 3)

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

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. 2020

Examples from the Web for grazing

Of course that “interesting company,” alongside the grazing goats, will probably number the odd royal and Hollywood celebrity.
William, Kate, and Jay Z’s Favorite Art Star: Alexander Gilkes' World of Rock Stars and Royalty|Tim Teeman|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then, without warning, they shot into the group, grazing two teenage boys with bullets.
‘Argo’ in the Congo: The Ghosts of the Stanleyville Hostage Crisis|Nina Strochlic|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“So if Cliven Bundy wishes to pay taxes or grazing fees—he should pay it to the Shoshone,” she writes.
How Cliven Bundy and the Land Rights Movement Screws Native Americans|Caitlin Dickson|May 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The U.S. government says Cliven Bundy owes $1 million in grazing fees and sent in contract cowboys to round up his cattle.
Gun-Toting Ranchers Defeat Feds|John L. Smith|April 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has claimed that Agenda 21 sought to abolish “golf courses, grazing pastures, and paved roads.”
Agenda 21: The U.N. Conspiracy That Just Won’t Die|Caitlin Dickson|April 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
However, before we came there we must meet with nomads and grazing land.
Trans-Himalaya, Vol. 2 (of 2)|Sven Hedin
This fact finds demonstration in the ability of the plants to re-seed the ground when grown for grazing.
Clovers and How to Grow Them|Thomas Shaw
Buffaloes were grazing in the prairies, and the cries of the wild geese were heard on all sides.
Early Western Travels, 1748-1846, v. 23|Various
Fifteen or twenty men, each with rifle or shot-gun, go on horseback to the grazing grounds.
White Shadows in the South Seas|Frederick O'Brien
I don't claim that a factory farm can be run like a grazing or a grain farm.
The Fat of the Land|John Williams Streeter

British Dictionary definitions for grazing (1 of 3)

grazing

/ (ˈɡreɪzɪŋ) /

noun

the vegetation on pastures that is available for livestock to feed upon

the land on which this is growing

British Dictionary definitions for grazing (2 of 3)

graze¹

/ (ɡreɪz) /

verb

to allow (animals) to consume the vegetation on (an area of land), or (of animals, esp cows and sheep) to feed thus

(tr) to tend (livestock) while at pasture

informal to eat snacks throughout the day rather than formal meals

Southern African informal to eat

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

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

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 grazing (3 of 3)

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

grazing

noun

Words related to grazing

Words nearby grazing

Origin of grazing

Definition for grazing (2 of 3)

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

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

Origin of graze

OTHER WORDS FROM graze

Definition for grazing (3 of 3)

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

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

noun

Origin of graze

OTHER WORDS FROM graze

Examples from the Web for grazing

British Dictionary definitions for grazing (1 of 3)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for grazing (2 of 3)

verb

noun

Word Origin for graze

British Dictionary definitions for grazing (3 of 3)

verb

noun

Derived forms of graze

Word Origin for graze