graze

/ɡreɪz/ (bre, ipa) · /ɡreɪz/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgrāz/ (ame, mw)

graze — verb

  • grazepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • grazeshe / she / it
  • grazedpast simple
  • grazing-ing form

1. to feed on grass or other low plants in an open area, or to put animals there so

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to feed on grass or other low plants in an open area, or to put animals there so they can do this

例句

At sunrise, the sheep were grazing quietly near the stone wall.

intransitive: animals + graze in a field

Farmer Lin lets his cows graze on the hill behind the barn.

cause animals to graze on a place

同義詞
  • feed

    broader and can refer to any kind of food, not just grass in the open

  • browse

    used for eating leaves, shoots, or bushes rather than mainly grass

  • pasture

    focuses on putting animals into a field so they can graze there

  • nibble

    emphasizes taking small bites rather than feeding over an area

文法句型

animals + graze

graze on + grass/plant food

graze + animals + in/on + place

用法筆記

This sense is used either for animals feeding themselves or for a farmer managing where they feed. When the food is named directly, 'graze on' is the usual pattern.

常見錯誤

❌We grazed at the sheep near the gate.
✅We grazed the sheep near the gate.
💡When a person manages the animals, the animals are the object.

2. to make a very slight contact with something as you move past it

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to make a very slight contact with something as you move past it

例句

The bus grazed the mirror of a parked car on the narrow street.

moving object + graze + surface

A low branch grazed Hiro's hat as he rode under the trees.

同義詞
  • brush

    very close in meaning, often with a softer or more everyday tone

  • skim

    suggests gliding lightly along a surface

  • clip

    can suggest a slightly harder hit than 'graze'

  • touch

    broader and does not imply passing movement

反義詞
  • miss

    to pass without touching at all

文法句型

vehicle/object + graze + noun

graze + body part/object

graze + noun + while/as + clause

用法筆記

The contact is brief and slight, often happening by accident while something is moving. Distinguish this from sense 3, where the rubbing leaves a shallow skin injury.

常見錯誤

❌The bus grazed with the wall.
✅The bus grazed the wall.
💡Use 'graze' directly with the thing that is lightly touched.

3. to rub skin against a rough surface and leave a small shallow injury

3.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to rub skin against a rough surface and leave a small shallow injury

例句

Anna grazed her knee when she fell on the school playground.

graze + body part after a fall

Kabir came home with a grazed elbow after sliding off his bike.

result adjective: grazed elbow

同義詞
  • scrape

    the nearest everyday equivalent, especially in American English

  • scratch

    suggests a thinner line mark rather than a rubbed patch of skin

  • skin

    often used for removing the top layer of skin by rubbing

文法句型

graze + knee/elbow/hand

graze + body part + on + rough surface

get + grazed

用法筆記

This sense is mainly used for minor skin damage, especially after a fall or a rub against a rough edge. It is more common in British English than in American English, which often prefers 'scrape'.

常見錯誤

❌I grazed on the road when I fell.
✅I grazed my arm on the road when I fell.
💡Use the injured body part as the object, or say 'I got grazed.'

4. to keep picking at food in many short spells rather than eating full meals at se

4.動詞不及物C1
釋義

to keep picking at food in many short spells rather than eating full meals at set times

例句

I usually graze at my desk when work gets too busy for lunch.

intransitive: graze instead of eating a meal

During the long train ride, the children grazed on fruit and crackers.

graze on + snack foods

同義詞
  • snack

    the most general word for eating small amounts between meals

  • nibble

    focuses on taking small bites rather than eating throughout a long period

  • pick at

    often suggests eating unwillingly or very slowly

反義詞
  • feast

    to eat a large meal rather than small amounts

文法句型

graze on + food

graze throughout the day

graze at + place

用法筆記

This sense is about people eating casually in many small amounts, often while doing other things. It contrasts with sitting down for regular meals and often carries a mildly informal tone.

常見錯誤

❌She grazed chips all afternoon.
✅She grazed on chips all afternoon.
💡Use 'on' before the food when you name what someone keeps eating.

graze — noun