Graze means to feed on growing grass or plants in a field, the way cows, sheep, horses, and deer do. These animals spend hours each day grazing, wandering slowly across pastures and meadows while munching on grass and clover. Unlike predators that hunt their food or people who sit down for meals, grazing animals eat almost constantly throughout the day, taking small bites as they move.

Farmers often graze their cattle in different fields, moving them from place to place so the grass has time to grow back. This natural way of feeding has shaped landscapes for thousands of years. Wild bison used to graze across huge stretches of the American plains, and their grazing actually helped keep the prairie ecosystem healthy.

The word also means to eat small amounts of food throughout the day instead of sitting down for regular meals. When you graze at a party, you nibble on snacks here and there rather than filling a plate. Someone might graze on crackers and fruit while doing homework.

Graze has another completely different meaning: to scrape or touch something lightly in passing. When you fall off your bike and graze your knee, you scrape off a bit of skin but don't cut deeply. This kind of graze usually leaves a minor injury that stings but heals quickly.

As a noun, a graze is a light scrape or scratch, like a graze on your knee.