graze

/greɪz/

/greɪz/

Other forms: grazing; grazed; grazes

Cows graze on grass, and people graze on snacks and finger foods. Graze can also mean to scrape, like when you graze your elbow after falling off your bike.

Graze means "to feed on grass" as sheep, horses, cows, do in a meadow — they eat a little at a time, but constantly. People sometimes graze too, munching on small snacks all day long instead of having a real meal. It also means “to touch lightly,” like when I pitch a baseball to you — and I accidentally hit your arm. With luck, the ball only grazed you, meaning you aren't hurt at all.

Definitions of graze

1. verb

   feed as in a meadow or pasture
   “the herd was grazing”

   synonyms: browse, crop, pasture, range

   range

   let eat

   crop, pasture

   let feed in a field or pasture or meadow

   type of:

   eat, feed

   take in food; used of animals only
2. verb

   let feed in a field or pasture or meadow
   synonyms: crop, pasture

   browse, crop, pasture, range

   feed as in a meadow or pasture

   types:

   grass

   feed with grass

   drift

   drive slowly and far afield for grazing

   type of:

   feed, give

   give food to
3. verb

   eat lightly, try different dishes
   synonyms: browse

   type of:

   nosh, snack

   eat a snack; eat lightly
4. noun

   the act of grazing
   synonyms: grazing

   type of:

   eating, feeding

   the act of consuming food
5. verb

   break the skin (of a body part) by scraping
   type of:

   injure, wound

   cause injuries or bodily harm to
6. verb

   scrape gently
   “graze the skin”

   synonyms: crease, rake

   types:

   shave

   touch the surface of lightly

   skive

   remove the surface of

   type of:

   brush

   touch lightly and briefly
7. noun

   a superficial abrasion
   type of:

   abrasion, excoriation, scrape, scratch

   an abraded area where the skin is torn or worn off