- 1[intransitive, transitive] (of cows, sheep, etc.) to eat grass that is growing in a field There were cows grazing beside the river. graze on something The horses were grazing on the lush grass. graze something The field had been grazed by sheep. Wordfinderfarmarable, barn, crop, cultivate, dairy, fallow, farm, graze, livestock, tractor Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbcontentedly, peacefully, quietly, … verb + grazeallow something to, turn something out to prepositionon, upon See full entry See related entries: On the farm, Animal farming
- 2[transitive] graze something to put cows, sheep, etc. in a field so that they can eat the grass there The land is used by local people to graze their animals. CollocationsFarmingGrowing food and raising animals plant trees/seeds/crops/vines/barley grow/produce corn/wheat/rice/fruit plough/(North American English) plow land/a field sow/harvest seeds/crops/fields spread manure/fertilizer on something cultivate/irrigate/water/contaminate crops/plants/fields/land damage/destroy/lose your crop ripen/pick fruit/berries/grapes press/dry/ferment grapes grind/thresh grain/corn/wheat raise/rear/keep chickens/poultry/cattle/pigs raise/breed/feed/graze livestock/cattle/sheep kill/slaughter livestock preserve/smoke/cure/salt meatModern farming run a fish farm/an organic dairy engage in/be involved in intensive (pig/fish) farming use/apply (chemical/organic) fertilizer/insecticides/pesticides begin/do/conduct field trials of GM (= genetically modified) crops grow/develop GM crops/seeds/plants/foods fund/invest in genetic engineering/research improve/increase crop yields face/suffer from/alleviate food shortages label food that contains GMOs (= genetically modified organisms) eliminate/reduce farm subsidies oppose/be against factory farming/GM food promote/encourage/support organic/sustainable farming
- 3[intransitive] graze (on something) (informal) to eat small amounts of food many times during the day, often while doing other things, instead of eating three meals I have this really bad habit of grazing on junk food. Some patients find it better to graze, eating lots of small snacks throughout the day. Grazing is becoming the American way of eating. Food grazing can lead to obesity.
- 4[transitive] graze something (on something) to break the surface of your skin by rubbing it against something rough I fell and grazed my knee. He grazed his elbow on a sharp piece of rock. CollocationsInjuriesBeing injured have a fall/an injury receive/suffer/sustain a serious injury/a hairline fracture/(especially British English) whiplash/a gunshot wound hurt/injure your ankle/back/leg damage the brain/an ankle ligament/your liver/the optic nerve/the skin pull/strain/tear a hamstring/ligament/muscle/tendon sprain/twist your ankle/wrist break a bone/your collarbone/your leg/three ribs fracture/crack your skull break/chip/knock out/lose a tooth burst/perforate your eardrum dislocate your finger/hip/jaw/shoulder bruise/cut/graze your arm/knee/shoulder burn/scald yourself/your tongue bang/bump/hit/ (informal) bash your elbow/head/knee (on/against something)Treating injuries treat somebody for burns/a head injury/a stab wound examine/clean/dress/bandage/treat a bullet wound repair a damaged/torn ligament/tendon/cartilage amputate/cut off an arm/a finger/a foot/a leg/a limb put on/ (formal) apply/take off (especially North American English) a Band-Aid™/(British English) a plaster/a bandage need/require/put in/ (especially British English) have (out)/ (North American English) get (out) stitches put on/rub on/ (formal) apply cream/ointment/lotion have/receive/undergo (British English) physiotherapy/(North American English) physical therapy Oxford Collocations Dictionary adverbbadly, just, only, … prepositionon See full entry See related entries: Injuries
- 5[transitive] graze something to touch something lightly while passing it The bullet grazed his cheek. Word Originverb senses 1 to 2 Old English grasian, from græs ‘grass’. verb senses 3 to 4 late 16th cent.: perhaps a specific use of graze ‘eat grass in a field’.Extra examples He fell and grazed his knees on a rock She had grazed her elbow quite badly. Sheep were grazing peacefully in the fields. The bullet only grazed his shoulder. The cattle were turned out to graze. lambs grazing on the rough moorland pasture
graze
verbBrE BrE//ɡreɪz//; NAmE NAmE//ɡreɪz//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they graze BrE BrE//ɡreɪz//; NAmE NAmE//ɡreɪz//
he / she / it grazes BrE BrE//ˈɡreɪzɪz//; NAmE NAmE//ˈɡreɪzɪz//
past simple grazed BrE BrE//ɡreɪzd//; NAmE NAmE//ɡreɪzd//
past participle grazed BrE BrE//ɡreɪzd//; NAmE NAmE//ɡreɪzd//
-ing form grazing BrE BrE//ˈɡreɪzɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈɡreɪzɪŋ//
On the farm, Injuries, Animal farmingCheck pronunciation: graze
