masticate

  • 1Masticate — Mas ti*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Masticated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Masticating}.] [L. masticatus, p. p. of masticare to chew, prob. fr. mastiche mastic. See {Mastic}.] To grind or crush with, or as with, the teeth and prepare for swallowing and… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2masticate — (v.) 1640s, back formation from MASTICATION (Cf. mastication), or else from L.L. masticatus, pp. of masticare to chew. Related: Masticated; masticating …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 3masticate — ► VERB ▪ chew (food). DERIVATIVES mastication noun. ORIGIN Latin masticare, from Greek mastikhan grind the teeth …

    English terms dictionary

  • 4masticate — [mas′ti kāt΄] vt. masticated, masticating [< LL masticatus, pp. of masticare, to chew < Gr mastichan, to grind the teeth, gnash < mastax, a mouth, morsel < IE base * menth , to chew, mouth > MOUTH, L mandere, to chew] 1. to chew up …

    English World dictionary

  • 5masticate — UK [ˈmæstɪkeɪt] / US [ˈmæstɪˌkeɪt] verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms masticate : present tense I/you/we/they masticate he/she/it masticates present participle masticating past tense masticated past participle masticated to chew (= crush… …

    English dictionary

  • 6masticate — [[t]mæ̱stɪkeɪt[/t]] masticates, masticating, masticated VERB When you masticate food, you chew it. [FORMAL] [V n] Her mouth was working, as if she was masticating some tasty titbit... Don t gulp everything down without masticating. Derived words …

    English dictionary

  • 7masticate — verb strong jaws enable them to masticate the bones of their prey Syn: chew, munch, champ, chomp, crunch, eat; formal manducate …

    Thesaurus of popular words

  • 8masticate — verb ( cated; cating) Etymology: Late Latin masticatus, past participle of masticare, from Greek mastichan to gnash the teeth; akin to Greek masasthai to chew more at mandible Date: 1562 transitive verb 1. to grind or crush (food) with or as if… …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 9masticate — masticable /mas ti keuh beuhl/, adj. mastication, n. masticator, n. /mas ti kayt /, v.t., v.i., masticated, masticating. 1. to chew. 2. to reduce to a pulp by crushing or kneading, as rubber. [1640 50; < LL masticatus, ptp. of masticare to chew.&#8230; …

    Universalium

  • 10masticate — verb /ˈmæstɪkeɪt/ a) To chew (food). The cow stood, quietly masticating its cud. b) To grind or knead something into a pulp …

    Wiktionary