chew

[choo]

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.

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.

chew

/ 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

noun

1. the act of chewing

2. something that is chewed

   a chew of tobacco

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of chew¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of chew¹

Old English ceowan; related to Old High German kiuwan, Dutch kauwen, Latin gingīva a gum

Idioms and Phrases

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.

More idioms and phrases containing chew

• bite off more than one can chew

Example Sentences

The girl fights with her legs, hands, and eventually her teeth, chewing herself free of it.

Read more on Salon

I look forward to my favorite local drag cabaret’s adaptation for its brunch performances, if anybody I know can afford to dine out whenever that comes together and manage to chew with mouths closed.

Read more on Salon

No case has crystallized those tensions quite like that of Washington D.C.’s internet-famous sandwich thrower, whose trial began Tuesday and gave jurors this to chew on: Does throwing fast food at an officer constitute assault?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I took to peeling the skin off my feet, chewing the ends of my hair, pushing out my uneven tooth, pulling off the cuticles on my fingers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Microphones recorded 21 distress calls from the robin, followed by 23 minutes of chewing as the bat flew low, feeding on the wing.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• bite 
• chomp 
• gnaw 
• nibble