hew
to strike forcibly with an ax, sword, or other cutting instrument; chop; hack.
to make, shape, smooth, etc., with cutting blows: to hew a passage through the crowd; to hew a statue from marble.
to sever (a part) from a whole by means of cutting blows (usually followed by away, off, out, from, etc.): to hew branches from the tree.
to cut down; fell: to hew wood; trees hewed down by the storm.
to strike with cutting blows; cut: He hewed more vigorously each time.
to uphold, follow closely, or conform (usually followed by to): to hew to the tenets of one's political party.
Origin of hew
1synonym study For hew
Other words for hew
Other words from hew
- hew·a·ble, adjective
- hewer, noun
- un·hew·a·ble, adjective
- un·hewed, adjective
Words that may be confused with hew
- hew , hue
Other definitions for HEW (2 of 2)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use hew in a sentence
There must be quarriers before there can be architects: the hewers of wood and drawers of water are the basis of all civilization.
There must, I believe, always be hewers of wood and drawers of water.
The Beach of Dreams | H. De Vere StacpooleIt is guarded by a hundred of the neophytes, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the temple.
Sarchedon | G. J. (George John) Whyte-MelvilleAt the command of the aldermen, the hewers of stone for the cannon made thousands of balls.
The Life of Joan of Arc, Vol. 1 and 2 (of 2) | Anatole FranceSome races are born to rule, other races are born to obey, to be “hewers of wood and drawers of water.”
German Problems and Personalities | Charles Sarolea
British Dictionary definitions for hew (1 of 2)
/ (hjuː) /
to strike (something, esp wood) with cutting blows, as with an axe
(tr often foll by out) to shape or carve from a substance
(tr; often foll by away, down, from, off, etc) to sever from a larger or another portion
(intr often foll by to) US and Canadian to conform (to a code, principle, etc)
Origin of hew
1Derived forms of hew
- hewer, noun
British Dictionary definitions for HEW (2 of 2)
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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