Graze Meaning
/ɡɹeɪz/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe act of grazing; a scratching or injuring lightly on passing.
nounA light abrasion; a slight scratch.
Sentence Examples
I have a graze here.
The sheep graze the grass in the field.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The cows were allowed to ____ in the field all morning.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The cows were allowed to ____ in the lush green meadow for several hours before returning to the barn.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʰreh₁-der. Proto-Germanic *grasą Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *grasōną Proto-West Germanic *grasōn Old English grasian Middle English grasen English graze Inherited from Middle English grasen (“to feed with grass”), from Old English grasian, from Proto-West Germanic *grasōn, from Proto-Germanic *grasōną, from *grasą (“grass”) + *-ōną (verbal suffix). Doublet of grass.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"If it be sundown, when the herds are returning from their daily graze in the long grass of the jungle, clouds of dust will be marking their track along every approach to the village […]"
— 1904, Empire Review, volume 6, page 188:
"He hath a Houſe and Barn in repair, a Field or two to graze his Cows, with a Garden and Orchard."
— 1732 March 6 (Gregorian calendar; date written), [Jonathan Swift], Considerations upon Two Bills Sent Down from the R[ight] H[onourable] the H[ouse] of L[ords] to the H[onoura]ble H[ouse] of C[ommons of Ireland] Relating to the Clergy of I[relan]d, London: […] A. Moore, […], published 1732, →OCLC, page 24:
"Although it is perfectly good meadowland, none of the villagers has ever grazed animals on the meadow on the other side of the wall."
— 1999, Neil Gaiman, Stardust:
"The lambs vvith vvolves ſhall graze the verdant mead, / And boys in flovv'ry bands the tyger lead; […]"
— 1712 (date written), Alexander Pope, “Messiah. A Sacred Eclogue, in Imitation of Virgil’s Pollio.”, in The Works of Alexander Pope Esq. […], volume I, London: […] J[ohn] and P[aul] Knapton, H. Lintot, J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, and S. Draper, published 1751, →OCLC, page 41, lines 77–78:
"The bird [Canada goose] is more often found on land than other waterfowl because of its love for seeds and grains. The long neck is well adapted for grazing."
— 1993, John Montroll, Origami Inside-Out, page 41:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The cows were allowed to ____ in the field all morning.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The cows were allowed to ____ in the lush green meadow for several hours before returning to the barn.