Dictionary

sew en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /so/ (Scotland)
• /sou/ (Wales) without the toe–tow merger
• /sɐʉ/ (New-Zealand)
• /soʊ/ (Canadian, General-American, Standard)
• /səʊ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /səʉ/ (Australia)

Etymology

From Middle English sewen, sowen, from Old English siwian, seowian, seowan (“to sew, mend, patch, knit together, link, unite”), from Proto-Germanic *siwjaną (“to sew”), from Proto-Indo-European *syewH- (“to sew”). Cognate with Scots sew, North Frisian saie, sei, Saterland Frisian säie, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish sy, and, more distantly, Polish szyć, Russian шить (šitʹ), Latin suō, Sanskrit सीव्यति (sī́vyati). Related to seam.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To use a needle to pass thread repeatedly through (pieces of fabric) in order to join them together.
   • Balls were first made of grass or leaves held together by strings, and later of pieces of animal skin sewn together and stuffed with feathers or hay.
   • She [Kate Spade] took the label, which originally had been on the inside of the bag, and sewed it to the outside. 2018 June 5, Jonah Engel Bromwich, Vanessa Friedman, Matthew Schneier, “Kate Spade, whose handbags carried women into adulthood, is dead at 55”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Jun 2018:
   • I sewed a button on.
2. (intransitive) To use a needle to pass thread repeatedly through pieces of fabric in order to join them together.
3. (transitive) Followed by into: to enclose by sewing.
   • to sew money into a bag

Forms

Deriveds

sew-ups · no-sew · sew up · sewability · missew · sewist · oversew · besew · sew buttons · unsew · presew · sewround · outsew · sewable · sew buttons on your underwear · sewless · homesewn · re-sew · resew · cut and sew · sewster

Descendants

sewim

Synonyms

stitch

Translations (209)

de nähen ((transitive) use a needle) · scn nchimari ((intransitive) use a needle) · sc cosire ((transitive) use a needle) · dlm coser ((transitive) use a needle) · lt siūti ((transitive) use a needle) · ba тегенеү ((intransitive) use a needle) · hu varr ((transitive) use a needle) · lb néien ((transitive) use a needle) · vo nägön ((transitive) use a needle) · ar خَيَّطَ ((transitive) use a needle) · mk ши́е ((transitive) use a needle) · ca cosir ((intransitive) use a needle) · izh ommella ((transitive) use a needle) · yag umaka ((transitive) use a needle) · scn cùsiri ((intransitive) use a needle) · tr dikmek ((transitive) use a needle) · ky тикүү ((transitive) use a needle) · sc cusiri ((transitive) use a needle) · is sauma ((transitive) use a needle) · lv šūt ((transitive) use a needle) · nb sy ((intransitive) use a needle) · yi נייען ((transitive) use a needle) · gld улпи- ((transitive) use a needle) · cmn 縫紉 /缝纫 ((transitive) use a needle) · om hodhuu ((transitive) use a needle) · ln tonga ((intransitive) use a needle) · qu sirai ((transitive) use a needle) · pt coser ((transitive) use a needle) · id jahit ((transitive) use a needle) · ko 깁다 ((transitive) use a needle) · atv тигерге ((transitive) use a needle) · km ដេរ ((transitive) use a needle) · hi सिलना ((transitive) use a needle) · qu siray ((transitive) use a needle) · ckb دوورین ((transitive) use a needle) · oc cóser ((transitive) use a needle) · akl tahi' ((transitive) use a needle) · hi सीना ((transitive) use a needle) · vi khâu ((transitive) use a needle) · sl šivati ((transitive) use a needle) · gv whaal ((intransitive) use a needle) · el ράβω ((transitive) use a needle) · nl naaien ((intransitive) use a needle) · tpi samap ((intransitive) use a needle) · kl mersorpoq ((intransitive) use a needle) · nrf couôtre ((transitive) use a needle) · es coser ((intransitive) use a needle) · lmo cüsì ((transitive) use a needle) · grc κασσύω ((transitive) use a needle) · gv fuaill ((intransitive) use a needle) · th เย็บ ((intransitive) use a needle) · ru шить ((intransitive) use a needle) · sh шити ((transitive) use a needle) · mba tahi ((transitive) use a needle) · fr coudre ((transitive) use a needle) · ln sono ((transitive) use a needle) · da sy ((intransitive) use a needle) · ltg šyut ((transitive) use a needle) · su ngaput ((transitive) use a needle) · pt costurar ((transitive) use a needle) · xsv shūt ((transitive) use a needle) · su kaput ((transitive) use a needle) · hrx nehe ((transitive) use a needle) · sv sy ((transitive) use a needle) · sd سِبَڻُ ((transitive) use a needle) · nn sy ((intransitive) use a needle) · ceb tahi ((transitive) use a needle) · sc cosie ((transitive) use a needle) · fi ommella ((transitive) use a needle) · fi ommella ((intransitive) use a needle) · yo rán ((transitive) use a needle) · zea naoie ((intransitive) use a needle) · he תָּפַר ((transitive) use a needle) · kl mersorpaa ((transitive) use a needle) · scn cùsiri ((transitive) use a needle) · tsg tahi ((transitive) use a needle) · hsb šić ((transitive) use a needle) · sat ᱨᱳᱜ ((transitive) use a needle) · chr ᎦᏰᏫᏍᎦ ((intransitive) use a needle) · lmo cusì ((transitive) use a needle) · ext cosel ((transitive) use a needle) · hy կարել ((transitive) use a needle) · tl tahiin ((transitive) use a needle) · ko 꿰매다 ((transitive) use a needle) · se goarrut ((transitive) use a needle) · rm cuser ((transitive) use a needle) · cmn 縫 /缝 ((transitive) use a needle) · lo ຫຍິບ ((transitive) use a needle) · lo ສນະ ((transitive) use a needle) · pam tai ((transitive) use a needle) · nl naaien ((transitive) use a needle) · ro coase ((transitive) use a needle) · ga fuaigh ((transitive) use a needle) · la suō ((intransitive) use a needle) · ain ケメィキ ((intransitive) use a needle) · es coser ((transitive) use a needle) · os хуийын ((transitive) use a needle) · bg ши́я ((transitive) use a needle) · hak 攣 /挛 ((transitive) use a needle) · ba тегеү ((intransitive) use a needle) · mi tuitui ((transitive) use a needle) · tpi samapim ((transitive) use a needle) · enm sewen ((transitive) use a needle) · yi נייען ((intransitive) use a needle) · pt coser ((intransitive) use a needle) · oc cóser ((intransitive) use a needle) · ja 縫製する ((transitive) use a needle) · gl coser ((transitive) use a needle) · nb sy ((transitive) use a needle) · oc cordurar ((transitive) use a needle) · ca cosir ((transitive) use a needle) · se goarrut ((intransitive) use a needle) · pt costurar ((intransitive) use a needle) · alt тигер ((transitive) use a needle) · fa آجیدن ((transitive) use a needle) · sc cusire ((transitive) use a needle) · gv whaal ((transitive) use a needle) · la suō ((transitive) use a needle) · sw shona ((transitive) use a needle) · io sutar ((transitive) use a needle) · id menjahit ((transitive) use a needle) · mnc ᡠᡶᡳᠮᠪᡳ ((transitive) use a needle) · jje 줍다 ((transitive) use a needle) · lb bitzen ((transitive) use a needle) · it cucire ((intransitive) use a needle) · sh šivati ((transitive) use a needle) · sh šiti ((transitive) use a needle) · rup cos ((transitive) use a needle) · ur سینا ((transitive) use a needle) · gv fuaill ((transitive) use a needle) · ht koud ((transitive) use a needle) · ka კერვა ((transitive) use a needle) · ta தை ((transitive) use a needle) · dsb šyś ((transitive) use a needle) · evn улли- ((transitive) use a needle) · uli digi ((transitive) use a needle) · haw humuhumu ((transitive) use a needle) · tl magtahi ((transitive) use a needle) · bi somap ((transitive) use a needle) · zea naoie ((transitive) use a needle) · ar خَاطَ ((transitive) use a needle) · hy կարել ((intransitive) use a needle) · hi सीना ((intransitive) use a needle) · pl szyć ((transitive) use a needle) · as চিলোৱা ((transitive) use a needle) · ko 바느질하다 ((intransitive) use a needle) · cmn 縫製 /缝制 ((transitive) use a needle) · ilo agdait ((transitive) use a needle) · ba тегеү ((transitive) use a needle) · ttj -sona ((transitive) use a needle) · mi tuitui ((intransitive) use a needle) · ar خَاطَ ((intransitive) use a needle) · eo kudri ((transitive) use a needle) · hi सिलना ((intransitive) use a needle) · hu varr ((intransitive) use a needle) · as সীয়া ((transitive) use a needle) · ms jahit ((transitive) use a needle) · izh ommella ((intransitive) use a needle) · qu hirai ((transitive) use a needle) · ain ケメィキ ((transitive) use a needle) · jv dondom ((transitive) use a needle) · cs šít ((transitive) use a needle) · ru шить ((transitive) use a needle) · fa دوختن ((transitive) use a needle) · rm cusir ((transitive) use a needle) · grc ῥάπτω ((intransitive) use a needle) · be шыць ((transitive) use a needle) · sd سِبَڻُ ((intransitive) use a needle) · ro coase ((intransitive) use a needle) · nn sy ((transitive) use a needle) · fur cusî ((transitive) use a needle) · bo བཙེམས ((transitive) use a needle) · got 𐍃𐌹𐌿𐌾𐌰𐌽 ((transitive) use a needle) · gd fuaigheil ((transitive) use a needle) · msk tai ((transitive) use a needle) · br gwriat ((transitive) use a needle) · my ချုပ် ((transitive) use a needle) · de nähen ((intransitive) use a needle) · nan-hbl 紩 /𮉢 ((transitive) use a needle) · cs šít ((intransitive) use a needle) · ja 縫う ((transitive) use a needle) · csb szëc ((transitive) use a needle) · sa सीव्यति ((intransitive) use a needle) · el ράβω ((intransitive) use a needle) · th เย็บ ((transitive) use a needle) · da sy ((transitive) use a needle) · sat ᱨᱳᱜ ((intransitive) use a needle) · ce тега ((transitive) use a needle) · ilo daiten ((transitive) use a needle) · ttj -baziira ((transitive) use a needle) · gl coser ((intransitive) use a needle) · scn nchimari ((transitive) use a needle) · nv náʼáłkad ((intransitive) use a needle) · vi may ((transitive) use a needle) · ur سلانا ((transitive) use a needle) · lad kuzir ((transitive) use a needle) · uk ши́ти ((transitive) use a needle) · isd daxet ((transitive) use a needle) · sk šiť ((transitive) use a needle) · atv кӧктӧерге ((transitive) use a needle) · it cucire ((transitive) use a needle) · sah тик ((transitive) use a needle) · enm sewen ((intransitive) use a needle) · grc ῥάπτω ((transitive) use a needle) · ur سلنا ((transitive) use a needle) · ln tonga ((transitive) use a needle) · sh шивати ((transitive) use a needle) · cmn 縫紉 /缝纫 ((intransitive) use a needle) · sa सीव्यति ((transitive) use a needle)

sew en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /sjuː/
• /suː/

Etymology

Back-formation from sewer (“a drain”).

Meanings

1. (obsolete, transitive) To drain the water from.
   • […] accommodated a sluce to clense and sew the Pond, with a grate of wood to let out the wast, as in other stews and Vivaries. c. 1700, John Evelyn, chapter 9, in Elysium Britannicum, Or the Royal Gardens, published 1998, page 183:
   • Now geld with the gelder the ram and the bul, / sew ponds, amend dammes, and sel webster thy wul 1573, Thomas Tusser, Five Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie, volume 8, page 40:
   • If the Bank of a Pond sews, it will preserve the Fish in Frost; the Reason, as I imagine, is, because where the Water sews out, the Air will bubble in, which relieves the Fish; or perhaps it might put the Water into some Degree of Motion. 1713, Roger North, A discourse of fish and fish-ponds:
2. Of a ship, to be grounded.
   • A ship resting upon the ground, where the water has fallen, so as to afford no hope of floating until lightened, or the return tide floats her, is said to be sewed, by as much as the difference between the surface of the water, and the ship's floating-mark. 2008, William Henry Smyth, The Sailor's Word:
   • The upward reaction of the keel blocks may be considered as a negative weight in a moment calculation, producing a decrease in the ship's stability, and it is most important that the vessel remains stable until she takes the blocks along the full length of her keel, i.e. when she is sewed, for until this moment the side shores cannot be successfully rigged. 1962, Theory and Practice of Seamanship, page 236:

Forms

sew en · NOUN · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• /sjuː/
• /suː/

Etymology

From Middle English sew (“broth”), from Old English sēaw (“sap, juice”), from Proto-West Germanic *sauw.

Meanings

1. (obsolete) Broth, gravy.
   • If a thicke grewell or ſew be made thereof, together with floure, oile, and vinegre, ſo tempered as it may be ſupped[…] 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XX.] Chap. XVI..”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], 2nd tome, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, page 63:
   • And than as for other Potages, ſtued Trypys, yt is dight redy. And than for to make the Numbleis in ſewe[…] c. 1555, John Lacy, “For to make Frumente”, in Wyl Bucke His Teſtament, London: Wyllam Copland:
   • At Ewle we wonten gambole, daunce, to carrole, and to ſing, To haue gud ſpiced Sewe, and Roſte, and plum-pies for a King[…] 1597, William Warner, chapter XXIIII, in Albions England a continued hiſtorie of the ſame kingdome […] , volume Book V, London: Ioan Broome, page 121:

Forms

Deriveds

fig-sew