masticate

verb

1. (transitive)To chew (usually food).

   “The cow stood, quietly masticating its cud.”

   “The fat boy rose, opened his eyes, swallowed the huge piece of pie he had been in the act of masticating when he last fell asleep, and slowly obeyed his master’s orders.”

   “"By tasting it, to be sure," said I, masticating a morsel that Kory-Kory had just put in my mouth.”

   “He resumed his meal. "I had no idea of it," he said, and masticated.”

   “The vegetables were not to be cooked but merely grated fine, if I could not masticate them.”

2. (transitive)To grind or knead something into a pulp.