browse

[ brouz ]

verb (used with object)

, browsed, brows·ing.

1. to eat, nibble at, or feed on (leaves, tender shoots, or other soft vegetation).
2. to graze; pasture on.
3. to look through or glance at casually or randomly:

   He's browsing the shelves for something to read.

   Synonyms: check, peruse, examine, skim, scan

4. to access and view (website content) with a Web browser, usually without looking for something specific:

   a secure way to browse the Web.

verb (used without object)

, browsed, brows·ing.

1. to feed on or nibble at foliage, lichen, berries, etc.
2. to graze.
3. to glance at random through a book, magazine, etc.
4. to look leisurely at goods displayed for sale, as in a store.
5. to access and view websites with a Web browser, as in mobile browsing online browsing

   If you love to browse while on the road, you can easily take advantage of free Wi-Fi .

noun

1. tender shoots or twigs of shrubs and trees as food for cattle, deer, etc.
2. an act or instance of browsing.

browse

/ braʊz /

verb

1. to look through (a book, articles for sale in a shop, etc) in a casual leisurely manner
2. computing to search for and read hypertext, esp on the Internet
3. (of deer, goats, etc) to feed upon (vegetation) by continual nibbling

noun

1. the act or an instance of browsing
2. the young twigs, shoots, leaves, etc, on which certain animals feed

Other Words From

• browser noun
• non·browsing adjective noun
• over·browse verb (used with object) overbrowsed overbrowsing
• un·browsing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of browse¹

1400–50; late Middle English browsen, perhaps a verbal derivative of Anglo-French broz, plural of brot shoot, new growth, Old French brost < Old Low Franconian *brust bud, noun derivative of *brustjan; compare Old Saxon brustian to come into bud

Word History and Origins

Origin of browse¹

C15: from French broust, brost (modern French brout ) bud, of Germanic origin; compare Old Saxon brustian to bud

Example Sentences

Do you browse and graze and get a big picture of the musical multitudes?

From Los Angeles Times

A paralyzed Arizona man became the first human to receive the implant in January and has since moved a cursor, browsed the internet and played video games with this thoughts.

From Los Angeles Times

The discovery of the city, which is the size of Scotland's capital Edinburgh, was made “by accident” when one archaeologist browsed data on the internet.

From BBC

Yet there they were, surprisingly easy to find, drinking lattes at a strip mall Starbucks, browsing magazines at Barnes & Noble and eating eggs with their spouses at a pancake restaurant.

From Los Angeles Times

I love just browsing and snacking in there, because they have such delicious things.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• flip through
• leaf through
• peruse
• read
• scan
• skim