Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
chew - 7 dictionary results

chew

  [choo]
Use chew in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to crush or grind with the teeth; masticate.
2. to crush, damage, injure, etc., as if by chewing (often fol. by up): The faulty paper feeder chewed the letters up.
3. to make by or as if by chewing: The puppy chewed a hole in my slipper.
4. to meditate on; consider deliberately (often fol. by over): He chewed the problem over in his mind.
–verb (used without object)
5. to perform the act of crushing or grinding with the teeth.
6. Informal. to chew tobacco.
7. to meditate.
–noun
8. an act or instance of chewing.
9. something chewed or intended for chewing: a chew of tobacco; taffy chews.
—Verb phrase
10. chew out, Slang. to scold harshly: The sergeant chewed out the recruits.
—Idiom
11. chew the fat, Informal. to converse at length in a relaxed manner; chat: They liked to sit around chewing the fat. Also, chew the rag.
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME chewen, OE cēowan; c. OHG kiuwan (G kauen)

Related forms:
chewer, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To chew
chew   (chōō)   
v.   chewed, chew·ing, chews

v.   tr.
  1. To bite and grind with the teeth; masticate.
  2. To meditate on; ponder: chew a problem over.
v.   intr.
  1. To make a crushing and grinding motion with the teeth.
  2. To cogitate; meditate: chewed on the difficulties ahead.
  3. Informal To use chewing tobacco.
n.  
  1. The act of chewing.
  2. Something held in the mouth and chewed, especially a plug of tobacco. See Regional Note at chaw.
Phrasal Verb(s):
chew out Slang To reprimand; scold.

Idiom(s):
chew the cud Slang To ponder over; meditate.

Idiom(s):
chew the fat/rag Slang To talk together in a friendly, leisurely way; chat at length.

[Middle English cheuen, from Old English cēowan.]
chew'a·ble adj., chew'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Chew

Chew\ (ch[udd]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Chewed (ch[udd]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Chewing.] [As ce['o]wan, akin to D. kauwen, G. kauen. Cf. Chaw, Jaw.]

1. To bite and grind with the teeth; to masticate.

2. To ruminate mentally; to meditate on.

He chews revenge, abjuring his offense. --Prior.

To chew the cud, to chew the food ocer again, as a cow; to ruminate; hence, to meditate.

Every beast the parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat. --Deut. xxiv. 6.

Chew

Chew\, v. i. To perform the action of biting and grinding with the teeth; to ruminate; to meditate.

old politicians chew wisdom past. --Pope.

Chew

Chew\, n. That which is chewed; that which is held in the mouth at once; a cud. [Law]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : chew
Italian: masticare,
German: kauen,
Japanese: 噛む
More Translations »

chew 
O.E. ceowan "to bite, chew," from W.Gmc. *keuwjanan, from PIE base *gjeu- "to chew." To chew (someone) out is military slang from World War II. Chewing gum is 1850, Amer.Eng., originally hardened secretions of the spruce tree.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source

chew

In addition to the idioms beginning with chew, also see bite off more than one can chew.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see chew on Thesaurus | Reference
>