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The verb gnash, as defined by English Oxford Living Dictionaries, means to grind (one's teeth) together as a sign of anger (often used hyperbolically).

We [humans] gnash our teeth whenever we are in an anger mood, but cattle often gnash their teeth, and I don't think that cattle grind their teeth angrily; in fact I often find them grinding their teeth without being angry. Hence, we can't use the verb gnash whenever any cow or goat grinds their teeth. Is there any verb to be added here for this need?

A cow was______her teeth.

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    Why don't you just use the word you've used to explain what you're looking for, i.e. 'grind' their teeth? Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 18:36
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    Maybe 'masticate' ("to chew"). Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 18:55
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    Many dictionaries don't specifically define it to be an act done in anger or pain, so I think you can use it without those associations. Bruxism is another term for teeth gnashing. Often it's done unconsciously or while sleeping. And there are studies on animal bruxism so it does seem to apply to animals too. Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 19:41
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    @Iqbal Ahmed Siyal I didn't know you were talking about their eating habits, I thought you meant the grinding of teeth generally. Sorry. Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 19:54
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    @IqbalAhmedSiyal is you are asking for the verb for when cattle eat, you should specify that; also, technically since this is a single-word request, you should include a sentence with a blank where you want the requested word to go; it is unclear from your question whether you are asking for a verb that describes when cattle are eating. Also, of course, you should not rely on only one dictionary's definition. I suggest OneLook. You will see many definitions of gnash that do not mention anything about anger, etc Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 20:33

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There are two phrases for what I believe you're referring to: "ruminate" and "chew the cud."

Cows and goats are types of mammals known as "ruminants." From Wikipedia:

Ruminants are mammals that are able to acquire nutrients from plant-based food by fermenting it in a specialized stomach prior to digestion, principally through microbial actions. The process, which takes place in the front part of the digestion system and therefore is called foregut fermentation, typically requires the fermented ingesta (known as cud) to be regurgitated and chewed again. The process of rechewing the cud to further break down plant matter and stimulate digestion is called rumination. The word "ruminant" comes from the Latin ruminare, which means "to chew over again".

These animals are often chewing their cud (highlighted in bold), which might be why you're asking this question.

The OED defines "ruminate" as:

[3] a. intr. Of an animal: to chew the cud; to chew again food that has been partially digested in the rumen.

As you can see, "chew the cud" is included in that definition, but is less formal.

If you are specifically referring to these animals, either phrase could work. But be careful in other contexts if you aren't talking about a ruminant!

As pointed out in the comments, "ruminate" holds a different meaning for humans:

[1] a. To revolve, turn over repeatedly in the mind; to meditate deeply upon.

(From the same OED page)

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    Note that if a person "ruminates", it means that they are thinking deeply & carefully about something. This illustrates the importance of being careful in other contexts, as you note. Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 19:43
  • Note that, when applied to humans, ruminate means think about, contemplate, etc. so, yes, be careful if you're not talking about cows and the like! 8^) Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 19:44
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    I suspect that the usage of ruminate in a human context evolved from that which cows do; instead of just chewing up a thought and swallowing it never to be seen again, you chew, ferment, chew some more, maybe ferment a little more, and chew again (on the topic you're contemplating). Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 20:52
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    Incidentally, the source of the definition for humans is that the Bible says that “clean” beasts chew their cud, so monks used the word as a metaphor for prayer and meditation. You can find descriptions of a monk praying “like a clean beast chews his cud” in the Middle Ages, but ruminate has become a fossilized metaphor today. And not many people even remember the original meaning. Commented Jul 27, 2018 at 22:27

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