Dictionary

gnaw en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /nɔː/ (UK)
• /nɑ/ (cot-caught-merger)
• /nɔ/ (US)
• nä (cot-caught-merger)
• nô (US)
• nô (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English gnawen, gnaȝen, from Old English gnagan, from Proto-West Germanic *gnagan, from Proto-Germanic *gnaganą (“to gnaw”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *gʰnēgʰ- (“to gnaw, scratch”). Cognate with Dutch knagen, German nagen, Danish gnave (“to gnaw”), Norwegian Bokmål gnage, Norwegian Nynorsk gnaga, Swedish gnaga.

Meanings

1. The act of gnawing.
   • have a gnaw of a bone
   • give something a gnaw

Forms

gnaw en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /nɔː/ (UK)
• /nɑ/ (cot-caught-merger)
• /nɔ/ (US)
• nä (cot-caught-merger)
• nô (US)
• nô (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English gnawen, gnaȝen, from Old English gnagan, from Proto-West Germanic *gnagan, from Proto-Germanic *gnaganą (“to gnaw”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *gʰnēgʰ- (“to gnaw, scratch”). Cognate with Dutch knagen, German nagen, Danish gnave (“to gnaw”), Norwegian Bokmål gnage, Norwegian Nynorsk gnaga, Swedish gnaga.

Meanings

1. (ambitransitive) To bite something persistently, especially something tough.
   • The dog gnawed the bone until it broke in two.
   • Ten thousand men that fishes gnaw'd upon c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv], line 25:
2. (intransitive) To produce excessive anxiety or worry.
   • Her comment gnawed at me all day and I couldn't think about anything else.
3. To corrode; to fret away; to waste.
   • VVots thou vvho's returnd, / The unthrift Bonvile, ragged as a ſcarre-crovv / The VVarres have gnavv'd his garments to the skinne: […] 1637, Thomas Heywood, The Royall King, and the Loyall Subject. […], London: […] Nich[olas] and John Okes, for James Becket, […], →OCLC, Act III, signature E4, verso:

Forms

Deriveds

ungnawn · gnawer · begnaw · outgnaw · forgnaw · gnawable · gnawingly · ungnawed · gnaw someone's vitals

Relateds

nag

Translations (134)

cmn 噬 (to bite something persistently) · bg гриза́ (to bite something persistently) · kk кеміру (to bite something persistently) · km កកេរ (to bite something persistently) · orv грызти (to bite something persistently) · oc rosegar (to bite something persistently) · gun nhakaraĩ (to bite something persistently) · mk глода (to bite something persistently) · sv gnaga (to bite something persistently) · sl gristi (to bite something persistently) · grc τρώγω (to bite something persistently) · it rodere (to produce anxiety or worry) · rup arod (to bite something persistently) · fi kalvaa (to bite something persistently) · es corroer (to produce anxiety or worry) · ru глода́ть (to bite something persistently) · fur roseâ (to bite something persistently) · hy կրծել (to bite something persistently) · de nagen (to bite something persistently) · it rosicare (to bite something persistently) · sk hlodať (to bite something persistently) · de nagen (to produce anxiety or worry) · lt įsikąsti (to bite something persistently) · tl ngatngat (to bite something persistently) · sl poglodati (to bite something persistently) · my တွပ် (to bite something persistently) · sh glodati (to bite something persistently) · nn gnaga (to bite something persistently) · vi nhằn (to bite something persistently) · sq bren (to bite something persistently) · lv kost (to bite something persistently) · ru грызть (to bite something persistently) · da gnave (to bite something persistently) · fi jyrsiä (to bite something persistently) · it rosicchiare (to bite something persistently) · nb gnage (to bite something persistently) · cmn 咬 (to bite something persistently) · ms kerumit (to bite something persistently) · cy cnoi (to bite something persistently) · la rōdō (to bite something persistently) · de knabbern (to bite something persistently) · uk гри́зти (to bite something persistently) · es roer (to bite something persistently) · fr harceler (to produce anxiety or worry) · pl głodać (to bite something persistently) · mi kakati (to bite something persistently) · uk глода́ти (to bite something persistently) · pt morder (to bite something persistently) · pt roer (to bite something persistently) · pms rusié (to bite something persistently) · sh gnjaviti (to produce anxiety or worry) · mi ngau (to bite something persistently) · mi kinikini (to produce anxiety or worry) · ko 쏠다 (to bite something persistently) · hsb hryzać (to bite something persistently) · rap ŋauŋau (to bite something persistently) · vi cắn (to bite something persistently) · eo ronĝi (to bite something persistently) · ar قَضَمَ (to bite something persistently) · bg гло́жда (to bite something persistently) · de kauen (to bite something persistently) · arz قرص (to bite something persistently) · ja 齧る (to bite something persistently) · es carcomer (to produce anxiety or worry) · is naga (to bite something persistently) · ceb kitkit (to bite something persistently) · sc rodere (to bite something persistently) · sl glódati (to bite something persistently) · es reconcomer (to produce anxiety or worry) · tr kemirmek (to bite something persistently) · ast royer (to bite something persistently) · bg терзая (to produce anxiety or worry) · gl roer (to bite something persistently) · be гры́зці (to bite something persistently) · sk hrýzť (to bite something persistently) · sc roere (to bite something persistently) · fr ronger (to bite something persistently) · fa خسیدن (to bite something persistently) · fi jäytää (to bite something persistently) · hu rág (to bite something persistently) · cmn 啃 (to bite something persistently) · ro roade (to bite something persistently) · es rosigar (to bite something persistently) · de verfolgen (to produce anxiety or worry) · be глада́ць (to bite something persistently) · ast ñascar (to bite something persistently) · he כִּרְסֵם (to bite something persistently) · cu грꙑсти (to bite something persistently) · it mordicchiare (to bite something persistently) · cs hlodat (to bite something persistently) · nl knagen (to bite something persistently) · el ροκανίζω (to bite something persistently) · de beschäftigen (to produce anxiety or worry) · az gəmirmək (to bite something persistently) · sc arroere (to bite something persistently) · es rustir (to bite something persistently) · es morder (to bite something persistently) · mk гризе (to bite something persistently) · zza koçen (to bite something persistently) · mn мэрэх (to bite something persistently) · cs hryzat (to bite something persistently) · mi whakakūnawheke (to produce anxiety or worry) · es recomer (to produce anxiety or worry) · cu погрꙑсти (to bite something persistently) · uz kemirmoq (to bite something persistently) · pl gryźć (to bite something persistently) · es roer (to produce anxiety or worry) · ca rosegar (to bite something persistently) · de umtreiben (to produce anxiety or worry) · th แทะ (to bite something persistently) · es carcomer (to bite something persistently) · ms unggis (to bite something persistently) · lv krimst (to bite something persistently) · ar نَخَرَ (to bite something persistently) · mi kunāwhea (to produce anxiety or worry) · es chancomer (to bite something persistently) · bg глождя (to produce anxiety or worry) · uz gʻajimoq (to bite something persistently) · ko 물어뜯다 (to bite something persistently) · hi कुतरना (to bite something persistently) · ba кимереү (to bite something persistently) · es concomer (to produce anxiety or worry) · mi ngūngū (to bite something persistently) · it rodere (to bite something persistently) · fr préoccuper (to produce anxiety or worry) · gl rillar (to bite something persistently) · cy dwysbigo (to produce anxiety or worry) · ast roer (to bite something persistently) · chr ᎠᏍᎪᎩᎠ (to bite something persistently) · cy cnoi (to produce anxiety or worry) · sh глодати (to bite something persistently) · fa خاییدن (to bite something persistently) · br krignat (to bite something persistently) · hsb hłodać (to bite something persistently)