| 释义 |
graze
I. \ˈgrāz\ verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English grasen, from Old English grasian, from græs grass — more at grass
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to feed on growing herbage : crop and eat grass
< cattle grazing on the slopes >
often : to feed while moving along a more or less definite course
< the heifer slowly grazed out of sight >
< antelopes grazing toward the water hole >
b. : to feed in the manner of a grazing animal especially by nibbling at a surface growth
< parrot fishes grazed among the coral trees >
2. dialect England : to yield herbage for grazing
3. : to put cattle to graze
< we used to graze on the upland flush in late spring >
transitive verb
1. : to crop and eat (growing herbage) : feed on the herbage of (as a pasture) — compare browse
2.
a. : to cause or put (as cattle) to graze
< grazed his stock on the water meadow >
b. : to cause or put cattle to graze on (as herbage or a pasture)
< grazed the upper field after taking an early crop of hay >
— often used with down
< planned to graze down the aftermath >
c. obsolete : to have charge of (grazing cattle)
3. : to supply herbage for the grazing of
< count on that pasture to graze 30 head during August >
Synonyms: see feed
II. noun
(-s)
1. : an act of grazing
< nothing better for a horse than a good graze on fresh young grass >
2. : herbage for or suitable for grazing
3. : grazing land
III. verb
Etymology: perhaps from graze (I)
transitive verb
1. : to rub or touch lightly in passing : touch and glance off : barely touch
< the falling tree just grazed his chair >
2. : to scratch or abrade by or as if by rubbing on a rough surface
< we got through, though we grazed both fenders slightly >
< fell and grazed her knee >
intransitive verb
: to touch or rub against something in passing or so as to produce a scratch or abrasion
< our fenders just grazed >
IV. noun
: a scraping along a surface or an abrasion made by such scraping: as
a. : glide II 4a
b. : a burst of an artillery projectile on impact with the ground or other material object
c. : a superficial abrasion of the skin
V. intransitive verb
: to eat small portions of food throughout the day instead of three meals
• grazer noun |