graze

Use graze in a sentence

A pair of grazing horses.

noun

The definition of a graze is a small scrape or scratch.
An example of a graze is a scrape that barely breaks the skin.

verb

Graze is defined as to eat small portions, or for farm animals to feed on grass in a pasture.
1. An example of graze is eating small snacks all day instead of eating meals.
2. An example of graze is cows eating grass in a field.
Graze means to touch or rub lightly.
An example of graze is lightly touching fabric while walking through a fabric store.

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"graze." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/graze>.

APA Style

graze. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/graze

graze

transitive verb

grazed, graz′ing

to feed on (growing grass, herbage, a pasture, etc.)
to put livestock to feed on (growing grass, herbage, etc.)
to tend (feeding livestock)
to feed on the pasturage of (land)

Origin of graze

Middle English grasen from Old English grasian from base of græs, gærs, grass

to feed on growing grass, etc.
Informal
1. to snack all day instead of eating regular meals
2. to eat small portions of different foods, as appetizers or samples of entrees

transitive verb

grazed, graz′ing

to touch or rub lightly in passing
to scrape or scratch in passing: a bullet grazed his thigh

Origin of graze

probably from graze in sense “to come close to the grass”

to scrape, touch, or rub lightly against something in passing

the act of grazing
a slight scratch or scrape caused by grazing

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MLA Style

"graze." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/graze>.

APA Style

graze. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/graze

graze

verb

grazed, graz·ing, graz·es

verb

intransitive

To feed on growing grasses and herbage.
Informal
a. To eat a variety of appetizers as a full meal.
b. To eat snacks throughout the day in place of full meals.

verb

transitive

To feed on (herbage) in a field or on pastureland.
To feed on the herbage of (a piece of land).
To afford herbage for the feeding of: This field will graze 30 head of cattle.
To put (livestock) out to feed.
To tend (feeding livestock) in a pasture.

Origin of graze

Middle English grasen from Old English grasian from græs grass ; see ghrē- in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

graze′a·ble graz′a·ble
adjective

graz′er
noun

verb

grazed, graz·ing, graz·es

verb

transitive

To touch lightly in passing; brush. See Synonyms at brush¹.
To scrape or scratch slightly; abrade.

verb

intransitive

To scrape or touch something lightly in passing.

noun

The act of brushing or scraping along a surface.
A minor scratch or abrasion.

Origin of graze

Perhaps from graze ¹

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"graze." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 18 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/graze>.

APA Style

graze. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/graze

Noun

(plural grazes)

The act of grazing; a scratching or injuring lightly on passing.
A light abrasion; a slight scratch.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present grazes, present participle grazing, simple past and past participle grazed)

To feed or supply (cattle, sheep, etc.) with grass; to furnish pasture for.
(intransitive) To feed on; to eat (growing herbage); to eat grass from (a pasture); to browse.
Cattle graze in the meadows.
To tend (cattle, etc.) while grazing.
To rub or touch lightly the surface of (a thing) in passing.
the bullet grazed the wall
To cause a slight wound to; to scratch.
to graze one's knee
(intransitive) To yield grass for grazing.