GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Found 3 definitions

1.       
    Browse , n. [OF. brost, broust, sprout, shoot, F. brout browse, browsewood, prob. fr. OHG. burst, G. borste, bristle; cf. also Armor. brousta to browse. See Bristle, n., Brush, n.] The tender branches or twigs of trees and shrubs, fit for the food of cattle and other animals; green food.
   Spenser.
   
   1913 Webster
   Sheep, goats, and oxen, and the nobler steed,
   On browse, and corn, and flowery meadows feed.
   Dryden.
   
   1913 Webster
   
         
       

2.       
    Browse, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Browsed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Browsing.] [For broust, OF. brouster, bruster, F. brouter. See Browse, n., and cf. Brut.]
   To eat or nibble off, as the tender branches of trees, shrubs, etc.; -- said of cattle, sheep, deer, and some other animals.
   1913 Webster
   Yes, like the stag, when snow the plasture sheets,
   The barks of trees thou browsedst.
   Shak.
   
   1913 Webster
   To feed on, as pasture; to pasture on; to graze.
   1913 Webster
   Fields . . . browsed by deep-uddered kine.
   Tennyson.
   
   1913 Webster
   To look casually through (a book, books, or a set of documents), reading those parts which arouse one's interest. Contrasted with scan, in which one typically is searching for something specific.
   PJC
   (Computers) To look at a series of electronic documents on a computer screen by means of a browser{2}.
   PJC
   
         
       

3.       
    Browse , v. i.
   To feed on the tender branches or shoots of shrubs or trees, as do cattle, sheep, and deer.
   1913 Webster
   To pasture; to feed; to nibble; to graze.
   Shak.
   
   1913 Webster
   To look casually through a book, books, or a set of documents, reading those parts which arouse one's interest.
   PJC
   To search through a group of items to find something, not previously specified, which may be of interest.
   PJC