masticate - chew (food); "He jawed his bubble gum"; "Chew your food and don't swallow it!"; "The cows were masticating the grass"chomp, champ - chew noisily; "The boy chomped his sandwich" champ - chafe at the bit, like horses gum, mumble - grind with the gums; chew without teeth and with great difficulty; "the old man had no teeth left and mumbled his food" chaw - chew without swallowing; "chawtobacco" munch, crunch - chew noisily; "The children crunched the celery sticks" grind, grate - make a grating or grinding sound by rubbing together; "grate one's teeth in anger" gnaw - bite or chew on with the teeth; "gnaw an old cracker"; "chewed on a cookie" |