verb

graze

grayz

Graze (verb) means to eat growing grass, or to let animals feed on pasture. Example: “The cows grazed peacefully in the field all afternoon.”

verb

To eat growing grass, or to let animals feed on pasture.

"The cows grazed peacefully in the field all afternoon."

"Farmers move the sheep to a new paddock so they always have fresh grass to graze on."

To touch or rub something lightly while passing it, sometimes scraping the skin.

"The bullet grazed his shoulder without causing serious damage."

"She grazed her knee when she tripped on the pavement."

noun

A minor scrape or scratch on the skin.

"He cleaned the graze on his elbow with antiseptic."

How to use graze

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither animals eating grass in a field, or something brushing past you closely enough to leave a light scratch.

Common pairings

graze on grass a graze on the knee cattle graze

Word forms

grazed past tense, grazes plural, grazes singular

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The cows _____ peacefully in the field all afternoon.

Etymology

From Old English grasian, "to feed on grass," built from the word grass itself.

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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range crop browse grazing pasture rake crease

Related words

field blood range scale distance google chain extent

Rhymes for graze

faze haze daze gaze maze raze baze amaze blaze craze glaze ablaze

See all rhymes for graze →

Frequently asked questions

What does “graze” mean?

The word “graze” means to eat growing grass, or to let animals feed on pasture. In plain terms, either animals eating grass in a field, or something brushing past you closely enough to leave a light scratch.

How do you pronounce “graze”?

“Graze” is pronounced grayz (/ɡɹeɪz/ in IPA).

How do you use “graze” in a sentence?

Here is “graze” used in a sentence: “The cows grazed peacefully in the field all afternoon.”

What part of speech is “graze”?

Depending on how it is used, “graze” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “graze” come from?

The word “graze” comes from Old English. From Old English grasian, "to feed on grass," built from the word grass itself.

How many meanings does “graze” have?

“Graze” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to eat growing grass, or to let animals feed on pasture.

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field blood range scale distance google chain extent