graze
1. To eat small amounts of food over a period of time, usually instead of full meals. I've been grazing all day, so I'm not very hungry right now. I feel better when I graze, as opposed to eating three big, heavy meals in a day. Would you stop grazing? Dinner's almost ready!
2. To eat a variety of foods in small quantities at one time, instead of a full meal. I'm not too hungry, I think I'll just graze at the party. Oh my gosh, it's an entire charcuterie table! I will gladly graze here all night. I'm excited to graze on this place's best appetizers during the cocktail hour.
3. To touch or scrape one without causing significant injury. Often said of gunshot wounds. You're so lucky the bullet only grazed your shoulder—a few inches lower, and you would have been in big trouble. Look at all that blood! There's no way the bullet only grazed him. Triage these victims. Some of them were just grazed by bullets, thank goodness.
graze against (someone or something)
To lightly touch or brush against someone or something. The room was so crowded that I ended up grazing against a bunch of people on my way to the refreshment table. The feather grazed against my neck and made me shiver. I nearly jumped out of my skin when the cat's tail grazed against me in the dark.
graze on (something)
1. Of animals, to eat the greens or vegetables in a particular area or location. I put up a fence to try to keep the deer from grazing on my land. What animals do you think are grazing on my crops? Animals are to smart to graze on these poisonous plants.
2. Of animals, to eat something in particular. I put up a fence to try to keep the deer from grazing on the vegetables in my garden. Look at these bite marks! Some pesky animals have been grazing on my tomatoes! Do you think birds will graze on the grass seed I just laid?
3. Of people, to eat small amounts of food over a period of time, usually instead of full meals. I've been grazing on snacks all day, so I'm not very hungry right now. I feel better when I graze on light things, as opposed to eating three big, heavy meals in a day. Would you stop grazing on chips? Dinner's almost ready!
4. Of people, to eat a variety of foods in small quantities at one time, instead of a full meal. I'm not too hungry, I think I'll just graze on some snacks at the party. Oh my gosh, it's an entire charcuterie table! I will gladly graze on this all night. I'm excited to graze on this place's best appetizers during the cocktail hour.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
graze against someone or something
to brush or scrape against someone or something. The car grazed against the side of the truck. I grazed against an old man as I was jogging this morning.
graze on something
1. [for animals] to browse or forage in a particular location. The cattle are grazing on the neighbor's land. I wish they wouldn't graze on other people's land.
2. [for animals] to browse or forage, eating something in particular. The deer are grazing on my carrots! The cows were grazing on the meadow grasses for weeks.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.