I. noun
or browze ˈbrau̇z, esp dial -au̇s
( -s )
Etymology: probably modification of Middle French brouts, plural of brout sprout, shoot, from Old French brost, of Germanic origin; akin to Old Saxon brustian to bud, sprout, Old English brēost breast — more at breast
1.
a. : the tender shoots, twigs, and leaves of trees and shrubs often used as food for cattle and other animals
a good bed of spruce browse
deer have outmultiplied the available browse
b. : any plant valued for the production of browse
sagebrush is an important browse
2.
[ browse, v.]
: an act or instance of browsing
cattle out for an evening browse
at first browse the book is not impressive
II. verb
or browze “
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: perhaps from (assumed) Middle French brouser (whence obsolete French brouser ), probably from brouts, plural of brout sprout, shoot
transitive verb
1.
a. : to consume as browse
a donkey browsing thistles
b. : to feed on the browse of
deer browsed the hillside
c. : graze — not used technically
2. : to feed (as cattle) on browse
farmers forced to browse their stock when hay ran low
3.
a. : to look over casually (as a book) : skim
he lazily browsed the headlines
b. : to make (one's way) by browsing
I browsed my way through the agony column
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to feed on or as if on browse
fishes that browse on algae
b. : graze — not used technically
2.
a. : to skim through a book reading at random passages that catch the eye
b. : to look over books (as in a store or library) especially in order to decide what one wants to buy, borrow, or read
c. : to casually inspect goods offered for sale usually without prior or serious intention of buying
d. : to make an examination without real knowledge or purpose
III. transitive verb
: to access (a network) by means of a browser
• browsing noun