sew

¹

[soh]

verb (used with object)

sewed, sewn, sewed, sewing. 

1. to join or attach by stitches.

2. to make, repair, etc., (a garment) by such means.

3. to enclose or secure with stitches.

   to sew flour in a bag.

4. to close (a hole, wound, etc.) by means of stitches (usually followed byup ).

verb (used without object)

sewed, sewn, sewed, sewing. 

1. to work with a needle and thread or with a sewing machine.

verb phrase

1. sew up

   1. Informal.,  to get or have a monopoly of; control exclusively.

   2. Informal.,  to complete or conclude (arrangements, negotiations, etc.) successfully.

      They were about to sew up the deal when the argument started.

   3. to gain or be assured of.

      He tried to sew up as many votes as possible before the convention.

sew

²

[soo]

verb (used with object)

sewed, sewing 

1. to ground (a vessel) at low tide (sometimes followed by byup ).

verb (used without object)

sewed, sewing 

1. (of a vessel) to be grounded at low tide.

noun

1. the amount of additional water necessary to float a grounded vessel.

sew

/ səʊ /

verb

1. to join or decorate (pieces of fabric, etc) by means of a thread repeatedly passed through with a needle or similar implement

2. (tr; often foll by on or up) to attach, fasten, or close by sewing

3. (tr) to make (a garment, etc) by sewing

Other Word Forms

• sewable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sew¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English seuen, souen, Old English siw(i)an, siowan; cognate with Old High German siuwan, Old Norse sauma, Gothic siujan; akin to Sanskrit sī́vyati “(he) sews,” Latin suere; seam

Origin of sew²

First recorded in 1580–90; from Middle French sewer, shortening of essewer, from unattested Vulgar Latin exaquāre, equivalent to Latin ex- “out of, from, thoroughly” + verb derivative of aqua “water”; sewer ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of sew¹

Old English sēowan; related to Old Norse sӯja, Gothic siujan, Old High German siuwen, Latin suere to sew, Sanskrit sīvjati he sews

Example Sentences

The industrious thrum of the heavy-duty sewing machines, along with the workers' chatter, normally fills the plant with a reassuring rhythm.

From BBC

The 132-pound turtle was taken into Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific, where veterinarians removed the fishing line and sewed the wounds.

From Los Angeles Times

He sells overalls with rain boots sewed in to them on TikTok.

From BBC

Caz began sewing when she was 11 years old and made her own wedding dress 28 years ago but stopped for a period before her passion reignited during the Covid lockdown.

From BBC

As well as the funding, the group has relied on a number of local volunteers who meet monthly to sew curtains and fill draft excluders.

From BBC

Related Words

• embroider 
• fasten 
• stitch 
• tailor