I. graze 1 /ɡreɪz/ BrE AmE verb
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: grasian , from græs ; ⇨ ↑ grass ]
1 . [intransitive and transitive] if an animal grazes, or if you graze it, it eats grass that is growing
graze on
Groups of cattle were grazing on the rich grass.
fields where they used to graze their sheep
2 . [transitive] to accidentally break the surface of your skin by rubbing it against something:
I fell on the gravel, severely grazing my knee.
3 . [transitive] to touch something lightly while passing it, sometimes damaging it:
A bullet grazed his arm.
4 . [intransitive] informal to eat small amounts of food all through the day instead of having regular meals
II. graze 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
a wound caused by rubbing that slightly breaks the surface of your skin:
Adam walked away from the crash with just a graze on his left shoulder.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ injury damage to part of your body caused by an accident or an attack:
The passengers were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
▪ wound an injury, especially a deep cut in your skin made by a knife, bullet, or bomb:
He died of a gunshot wound to the head.
▪ cut a small injury made when a sharp object cuts your skin:
Blood was running from a cut on his chin.
▪ bruise a dark mark on your skin that you get when you fall or get hit:
Jack often comes home from playing rugby covered in bruises.
▪ graze/scrape a small injury that marks your skin or breaks the surface slightly:
She fell off her bike and got a few grazes on her legs and knees.
▪ gash a long deep cut:
He had a deep gash across his forehead.
▪ bump an area of skin that is swollen because you have hit it against something:
How did you get that bump on your head?
▪ sprain an injury to your ↑ ankle , ↑ wrist , knee etc, caused by suddenly twisting it:
It’s a slight sprain – you should rest your ankle for a week.
▪ strain an injury to a muscle caused by stretching it or using it too much:
a muscle strain in his neck
▪ fracture a crack or broken part in a bone:
a hip fracture