chew

American  

[choo] / tʃu /

verb (used with object)

1. to crush or grind with the teeth; masticate.

2. to crush, damage, injure, etc., as if by chewing (often followed byup ).

   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 followed byover ).

   He chewed the problem over in his mind.

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verb (used without object)

1. to perform the act of crushing or grinding with the teeth.

2. Informal. to chew tobacco.

3. to meditate.

noun

1. an act or instance of chewing.

2. something chewed or intended for chewing.

   a chew of tobacco; taffy chews.

verb phrase

1. chew out to scold harshly.

   The sergeant chewed out the recruits.

idioms

1. chew the fat, to converse at length in a relaxed manner; chat: Also chew the rag.

   They liked to sit around chewing the fat.

chew British  

/ tʃuː /

verb

1. to work the jaws and teeth in order to grind (food); masticate

2. to bite repeatedly

   she chewed her nails anxiously

3. (intr) to use chewing tobacco

4. slang

   1. to argue over a point

   2. to talk idly; gossip

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noun

1. the act of chewing

2. something that is chewed

   a chew of tobacco

chew More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing chew

• bite off more than one can chew

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Other Word Forms

• chewable adjective
• chewer noun
• unchewed adjective
• well-chewed adjective

Etymology

Origin of chew

before 1000; Middle English chewen, Old English cēowan; cognate with Old High German kiuwan ( German kauen )

Example Sentences

The conflict has also chewed through U.S. stocks of interceptors it uses to fend off missiles.

From The Wall Street Journal

But if energy prices continue to rise as the war proceeds, “most of the fiscal tailwind would get chewed up,” he says.

From Barron's

To alleviate the boredom we give the dogs large beef bones to chew and play with.

From Literature

The whale fat and skin have a good flavor but take a lot of chewing.

From Literature

He fetches at least double the number of sticks we need, and chews up half of them.

From Literature

Related Words

• bite
• chomp
• gnaw
• nibble