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Raze vs Graze - What's the difference?

raze | graze |

In transitive terms the difference between raze and graze

is that raze is to scrape as if with a razor while graze is to cause a slight wound to; to scratch.

raze

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) raser

Verb

(raz)
  • To demolish; to level to the ground.
  • The word ‘laconic’ derives from Lakon (“person from Lakonia”) the district around Sparta in southern Greece in ancient times, whose inhabitants were famous for their brevity of speech. When threatened them with, “If I enter Laconia, I will raze Sparta,” the Spartans’ reply was, “If.”
  • To scrape as if with a razor.
  • Synonyms
    * See also

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    (head)
  • (rhizome of ginger).
  • Anagrams

    * ----

    graze

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of grazing; a scratching or injuring lightly on passing.
  • A light abrasion; a slight scratch.
  • Verb

    (graz)
  • To feed or supply (cattle, sheep, etc.) with grass; to furnish pasture for.
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • a field or two to graze his cows
  • * 1999:' Although it is perfectly good meadowland, none of the villagers has ever '''grazed animals on the meadow on the other side of the wall. — ''Stardust , Neil Gaiman, page 4 (2001 Perennial Edition).
  • (ambitransitive) To feed on; to eat (growing herbage); to eat grass from (a pasture); to browse.
  • Cattle graze in the meadows.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • The lambs with wolves shall graze the verdant mead.
  • * 1993 , John Montroll, Origami Inside-Out (page 41)
  • The bird [Canada goose] is more often found on land than other waterfowl because of its love for seeds and grains. The long neck is well adapted for grazing .
  • To tend (cattle, etc.) while grazing.
  • * Shakespeare
  • when Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheep
  • To rub or touch lightly the surface of (a thing) in passing.
  • the bullet grazed the wall
  • * 1851 ,
  • But in that gale, the port, the land, is that ship’s direst jeopardy; she must fly all hospitality; one touch of land, though it but graze the keel, would make her shudder through and through.
  • To cause a slight wound to; to scratch.
  • to graze one's knee
  • To yield grass for grazing.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • The sewers must be kept so as the water may not stay too long in the spring; for then the ground continueth the wet, whereby it will never graze to purpose that year.

    Derived terms

    * overgraze

    Anagrams

    * ----