/ greɪz; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
1.
( of cows, sheep, etc. ) to eat grass that is growing in a field :
[ v ]
There were cows grazing beside the river.
Parents have been warned against allowing children to graze on snacks (= to keep eating them, instead of real meals) .
[ vn ]
The field had been grazed by sheep.
2.
[ vn ] 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.
3.
[ vn ] to break the surface of your skin by rubbing it against sth rough :
I fell and grazed my knee.
4.
[ vn ] to touch sth lightly while passing it :
The bullet grazed his cheek.
■ noun
a small injury where the surface of the skin has been slightly broken by rubbing against sth :
Adam walked away from the crash with just cuts and grazes .
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WORD ORIGIN
verb senses 1 to 2 Old English grasian , from græs grass .
verb senses 3 to 4 and noun late 16th cent.: perhaps a specific use of graze eat grass in a field .