masticate
Work your jaw
To masticate is to chew—to grind food with the teeth before swallowing.
The word sounds technical or formal compared to plain chew, appearing most often in dental, medical, or scientific contexts: The patient has difficulty masticating solid foods.
Mastication is the noun form.
Bone holding teeth
- molarsRear crushing teeth
- premolarsTeeth with two cusps
- incisorsFront cutting teeth
- caninesDog family members
saliva · tongue · palate · mandible · maxilla · gums · gnawing · munching
Reaction-speeding proteins
- amylaseStarch-digesting enzyme
- stomachDigestive organ below chest
- nutrientsVital dietary substances
- gastricOf the stomach
saliva · breakdown · carbohydrates · absorption · peristalsis · bolus · swallow · esophagus
jaw
Bone holding teeth
canines · saliva · tongue · palate · mandible · maxilla · gums · gnawing · munching · crunching
consume
Take in fully
dine · feast · gobble · nosh · graze · snack · munch · bite · nibble · eat
enzymes
Reaction-speeding proteins
gastric · saliva · breakdown · carbohydrates · absorption · peristalsis · bolus · swallow · esophagus · digest
crush
Compress with force
comminute · mortar · pestle · mill · granulate · fragment · bray · millstone · quern · gristmill
taste
Flavor perception ability
aroma · gustation · savor · relish · enjoyment · mouthfeel · texture · appreciation · sensory · chew
- eating and drinkingeat, drink, chew, bite, swallow
- mouth actionsbite, biting, chewing, chew, swallowing
- mouth soundsburp, chew, chomp, crunch, gulp
- chew overchew, ruminate, mull over, ponder, contemplate
- fancy wordsgrandiloquent, magniloquent, sesquipedalian, pulchritudinous, tintinnabulation
masticategobble
Eat fast and greedily
wolf down · bolt · devour · gorge · scarf down
masticatespit out
Eject from the mouth
expectorate · regurgitate · vomit · disgorge · eject