chew en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /tʃuː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /tʃʉw/ (British, Southern, Standard)
- /tʃɪʊ̯/ (Canada, Wales)
- cho͞o (Canada, US)
- /t͡ʃ(j)u/ (Canada, US)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English chewen, from Old English ċēowan, from Proto-West Germanic *keuwan, from Proto-Germanic *kewwaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵyewh₁-. Cognate with West Frisian kôgje, Low German käwwen, Dutch kauwen, German kauen; also Latin gingīva (“gums”), Tocharian B śuwaṃ (“to eat”), Polish żuć (“to chew”), Persian جویدن (javidan), Pashto ژُوَل (žovạl, “to bite, gnaw”).
Meanings
-
To crush with the teeth by repeated closing and opening of the jaws; done to food to soften it and break it down by the action of saliva before it is swallowed.
1971-79, Journal of Glenn T. Seaborg And gruesome they areː We find cattle still alive with hindquarters chewn off, still alive with their eyes chewn out, their ears chewn off, their noses and faces chewn till they look like (a) Hamburger, their tails hanging in shreds. Or, we find them after a slow and cruel death. Can you understand why cattlemen will shoot YOUR dog if he is seen wandering on ranchland?
His left cheek seemed to have been cut and chewn awayǃ
2010, Tony Reynolds, The Lost Stories of Sherlock Holmes:The same chewn upon maketh one to avoid much phlegm.
1578, Henry Lyte, A niewe Herball:But meanwhile Mademoiselle's book had at least been found under an arm-chair where it had been dragged, chewn up and torn to pieces by a young pug-dog or by a kitten.
1976, Denis Diderot, translated by Leonard Tancock, Rameau's Nephew / D'alembert's Dream:The steak was tough to chew as it had been cooked too long.
He wore two sweaters, both moth chewn and filthy but warm.
2001, Keith Douglass, Seal Team Seven 14: Death Blow:Make sure to chew thoroughly, and don't talk with your mouth full!
-
To grind, tear, or otherwise degrade or demolish something with teeth or as with teeth.
He keeps his feed in steel drums to prevent the mice from chewing holes in the feed-sacks.
The harsh desert wind and sand had chewed the stump into ragged strips of wood.
-
(informal, uncountable) The condition of something being torn or ground up mechanically.
Avoiding Tape Chew. In the early days of the ADAT, the "V" blocks (two arms that thread the tape around the front of the head) could sometimes get out of alignment and "chew" the outside track […]
1995, Keyboard, volume 21, numbers 7-12, page 138:
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(informal) To think about something; to ponder; to chew over.
He chews revenge, abjuring his offense.
1711, Matthew Prior, to Mr. Harley, wounded by Guiscard:The professor stood at the blackboard, chalk in hand, and chewed the question the student had asked.
Old politicians chew on wisdom past.
1734, Alexander Pope, Epistle to Cobham:
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To chew tobacco.
To reduce cancer risk, it is best that you neither chew nor smoke.
He'd been chewing for many years by the time he first noticed some white plaques on his oral mucosa.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| chewed | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| chewed | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| chewing | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| chews | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| chewn | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | rare | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
chewing gum (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chewer (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew on (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chewing sponge (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chewing ball (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew up the scenery (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · rag-chewing (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew up and spit out (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew out (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew the cud (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · mad enough to chew nails (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chewing louse (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · I don't chew my cabbage twice (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew the rag (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · cut off more than one can chew (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew the scenery (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew over (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · walk and chew gum at the same time (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · rechew (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chewing stick (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chewy (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew up (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · bite off more than one can chew (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chewable (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew off (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · prechew (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chewing tobacco (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew the meat and spit out the bones (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew on the scenery (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew on one's nails (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew the fat (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew stick (Terms derived from chew (verb)) · chew-and-spit (Terms derived from chew (verb))
Descendants
Synonyms
grind (degrade or demolish as if with teeth) · chavel (crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · chomp (crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · masticate (crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · rip (degrade or demolish as if with teeth) · pulverize (degrade or demolish as if with teeth) · ruminate (think about) · ponder (think about) · mull (think about) · contemplate (think about) · muse (think about) · bite (crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · tear (degrade or demolish as if with teeth) · crunch (crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · shred (degrade or demolish as if with teeth)
Translations (169)
pl przeżuwać (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · da tygge (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ka ღეჭვა (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ka ცოხნა (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · sv tugga (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · scn macicari (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · zza cawitiş (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · cy cnoi (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · hy ծամել (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · hi चबाना (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · njo-jgl mejak (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ium nziuc (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · es chacchar (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · sq përtyp (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · es masticar (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · he לעס (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · fa جویدن (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · scn masticari (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · bua жажалха (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ani чӏамму (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · et närima (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · mn мэрэх (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ky чайноо (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · eu murtxikatu (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · xal җаҗлх (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · rup mãcilsescu (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · km ទំពា (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · lt kramtyti (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · sa खादति (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · la mandūcō (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ang ċēowan (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · gl mastigar (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · sh жвакати (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · mn зажлах (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · id kunyah (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · mr चावणे (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · rup meastic (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ga cogain (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · cmn 咀嚼 (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · zza koçen (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · tet mama (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · mga cocnaid (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · is tyggja (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · nci tlanchoa (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · pdc kaue (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · fr mastiquer (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ar مَضَغَ (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · pl żuć (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · el μασάω (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · mt magħad (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · grc μασάομαι (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ak wesa (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · evn седями (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ko 씹다 (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · vi nhai (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · fur mastiâ (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · fr mordiller (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · uz chaynamoq (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · mnc ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠩᡤᡡᠮᠪᡳ (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · de kauen (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · no tygge (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ta மெல் (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · duu mya (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ca masticar (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · th เคี้ยว (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · hsb kusać (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · lv košļāt (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · zza cawıtene (diq) (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · uk жува́ти (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · olo puretella (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ms kunyah (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · lo ຄ້ຽວ (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · as পকটীয়া (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · mga con·cnaí (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · bo མུར (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · kjh тайнирға (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · pon rukoa (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · cy cildroi (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · es picchar (coca) (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ms mamah (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · dsb kusaś (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ota كومك (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · pt mastigar (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · kk шайнау (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · sh žvakati (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · fi jauhaa (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · sq përçap (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · fo tyggja (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · rup aroamig (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · la masticō (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ru жева́ть (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · sah ыстаа (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · mbb mama' (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · av чӏамизе (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · fi pureskella (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · unm shëshkònta (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · nmn ǁkxʻám (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · nl kauwen (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · gd cnuasaich (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ro mesteca (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · xsr མུར (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · jv mamah (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ca mastegar (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · fr mâcher (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · hu rág (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · sga con·cná (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · sk žuť (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · unm shëshkòmwi (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · cjm ꨟꨟꩍ (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · cmn 嚼 (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · tl nguya (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · es gandir (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · tr çiğnemek (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · as চোবা (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · be жава́ць (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · vi nhằn (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · mi kamukamu (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · alt чайнаар (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · te నములు (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · rup ciumulescu (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · chr ᎠᎩᏍᏙᎠ (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · bcl sapa (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ja 咀嚼する (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ne चपाउनु (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · vec mastegar (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · txb tresk- (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · zu hlafuna (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ia masticar (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · az çeynəmək (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ln táma (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · vi nhá (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · mk џвака (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ckb جوون (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · pox zavăt (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · tyv дайнаар (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · kmr cûtin (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ota چیكنهمك (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · bg дъ́вча (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · es picchear (coca) (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ruq mestic (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · akl mama (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · eo remaĉi (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ko 깨물다 (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · eo maĉi (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · nap mazzecà (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · sv förtära (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · gsw chätsche (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ta சவை (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · es mascar (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ruq mastic (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · sl žvečiti (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · izh närriä (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · et mäluma (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · zza cawen (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · cs žvýkat (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · mnc ᠨᡳᠶᠠᠨᡳᠣᠮᠪᡳ (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · twh ꪵꪁꪫꫂ (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ja 噛む (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · my ဝါး (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · it masticare (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · bn চিবনো (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · kaw gugut (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · pdc tschaae (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ace mamoh (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · non tyggja (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · mww zom (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · ak we (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · pt mascar (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing) · da gumle (to crush food with teeth prior to swallowing)