grazing

IPA/ˈɡreɪzɪŋ/
KK[ɡrˈezɪŋ]IPA/ˈɡreɪzɪŋ/

grazing — noun

  • grazingsingular
  • grazingsplural

1. an area of open ground where cows, sheep, and similar farm animals are kept so t

1.名詞B2
釋義

an area of open ground where cows, sheep, and similar farm animals are kept so they can eat the grass growing on it

例句

The hills above the village offer good grazing for the local sheep.

good / poor grazing for [animals]

After the long dry summer, there was little grazing left in the valley.

little / plenty of grazing

同義詞
  • pasture

    near-identical; 'pasture' can be countable (a pasture) while this sense is uncountable

  • grassland

    wider word for any grass-covered land, not only land used by farm animals

用法筆記

Almost always uncountable and used of land, not of a single field. Subject of verbs like 'offer', 'provide', 'rent', or 'own'.

常見錯誤

They built a barn on the grazings.
They built a barn on the grazing.
💡this sense is uncountable, so it has no plural.

2. the act of farm animals walking around a field and eating the grass that grows t

2.名詞B2
釋義

the act of farm animals walking around a field and eating the grass that grows there

例句

Too much grazing in one spot can strip a field down to bare soil.

grazing strips / damages the land

Sahil moved the goats daily to spread their grazing across the slope.

spread / control the grazing

同義詞
  • feeding

    more general; covers any animal taking food, not only eating grass in a field

  • browsing

    eating leaves and shoots from bushes or trees rather than grass on the ground

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this is the activity of eating, while sense 1 is the land itself. Often paired with an adjective of intensity ('light', 'heavy', 'over-').

3. a small wound where the top layer of skin has been scraped off by rubbing agains

3.名詞B2
釋義

a small wound where the top layer of skin has been scraped off by rubbing against a rough surface

例句

Christopher fell off his bike and got a nasty grazing on his knee.

a grazing on [body part]

The nurse cleaned the grazing on Trang's elbow and put a plaster over it.

clean / treat a grazing

同義詞
  • scrape

    the usual American word for the same surface injury

  • abrasion

    more formal or medical word for skin rubbed raw

用法筆記

Mainly British and countable, unlike the other senses. The American everyday word for the same injury is usually 'scrape'.

常見錯誤

He had a deep grazing that needed stitches.
He had a deep cut that needed stitches.
💡a grazing is only on the surface of the skin, never deep.

4. the habit of eating small bits of food many times through the day instead of hav

4.名詞C1
釋義

the habit of eating small bits of food many times through the day instead of having proper meals at set times

例句

Constant grazing on biscuits meant Felix was never really hungry at dinner.

grazing on [snack food]

The diet failed because all that grazing added up to more calories than three meals.

同義詞
  • snacking

    the most common everyday word; 'grazing' stresses doing it continuously all day

  • nibbling

    eating tiny amounts; less about the all-day pattern than 'grazing'

用法筆記

Informal and uncountable. Often follows 'constant', 'endless', or 'mindless', and takes 'on' before the food eaten.

5. used before another noun to describe a large board or plate holding many small c

5.名詞C1
釋義

used before another noun to describe a large board or plate holding many small cold foods, such as cheese, meat, and fruit, that several people pick at and share

例句

Hiro laid out a huge grazing board of cheese, olives, and grapes.

a grazing board / platter

For the picnic, Caleb prepared a grazing platter instead of cooking a hot meal.

prepare / set out a grazing platter

同義詞
  • sharing platter

    plainer phrase for the same idea of food laid out to be shared

文法句型

grazing + board / platter / table

用法筆記

Only used before another noun (board, platter, table); you cannot say 'the food was grazing'. The idea is that people graze, picking at small amounts over time.

常見錯誤

They served a grazing for the party.
They served a grazing board for the party.
💡this sense must come before a noun like 'board' or 'platter'.