masticate

/ˈmæstɪkeɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmæstɪkeɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈma-stə-ˌkāt/ (ame, mw)

masticate — verb

  • masticatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • masticateshe / she / it
  • masticatedpast simple
  • masticating-ing form

1. to break down food in your mouth by biting and grinding it with your teeth, ofte

1.動詞及物 / 不及物C2
釋義

to break down food in your mouth by biting and grinding it with your teeth, often slowly and thoroughly before swallowing.

例句

The dentist told Diego to masticate each bite of meat at least twenty times.

masticate + direct object (food); imperative-style health advice

Elderly cows masticate the dry grass slowly, moving their jaws from side to side.

masticate + plant-food object; describes animal feeding behaviour

同義詞
  • chew

    everyday neutral verb; use this in conversation

  • munch

    informal; suggests visible, enjoyable chewing of crunchy food

  • grind

    emphasises the crushing action of the molars

  • champ

    literary; chewing noisily, often of horses

反義詞
  • swallow

    the action that follows mastication; opposite stage of eating

  • gulp

    swallow quickly without proper chewing

文法句型

masticate + food noun

masticate (intransitive)

用法筆記

Formal or technical register: appears mainly in medical, dental, dietary, or veterinary writing. In everyday Taiwanese learner contexts, 'chew' is the natural choice; 'masticate' sounds clinical or jokingly stuffy at the dinner table.

常見錯誤

❌I will masticate this gum for an hour.
✅I will chew this gum for an hour.
💡'masticate' applies to breaking food down for swallowing, not to gum-chewing or stress-chewing pencils.
❌The baby masticates milk from the bottle.
✅The baby drinks milk from the bottle.
💡liquids and purées are not masticated; the verb requires a solid food that the teeth grind.