graze
1
[ 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
1OTHER WORDS FROM graze
graze·a·ble, adjective graz·er, nounWords nearby graze
Definition for graze (2 of 2)
graze
2
[ 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, noun graz·ing·ly, adverbExample sentences from the Web for graze
British Dictionary definitions for graze (1 of 2)
graze
1
/ (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)
graze
2
/ (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, noun grazingly, adverbWord Origin for graze
C17: probably special use of
graze
1; related to Swedish
gräsa