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gnaw
[ naw ]
/ nɔ /
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verb (used with object), gnawed, gnawed or gnawn, gnaw·ing.
verb (used without object), gnawed, gnawed or gnawn, gnaw·ing.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Origin of gnaw
before 1000; Middle English gnawen,Old English gnagen; cognate with German nagen,Old Norse gnāga
OTHER WORDS FROM gnaw
Words nearby gnaw
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use gnaw in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for gnaw
gnaw
/ (nɔː) /
verb gnaws, gnawing, gnawed, gnawed or gnawn (nɔːn)
(when intr, often foll by at or upon) to bite (at) or chew (upon) constantly so as to wear away little by little
(tr) to form by gnawingto gnaw a hole
to cause erosion of (something)
(when intr, often foll by at) to cause constant distress or anxiety (to)
noun
the act or an instance of gnawing
Derived forms of gnaw
gnawable, adjectivegnawer, noungnawing, adjective, noungnawingly, adverbWord Origin for gnaw
Old English gnagan; related to Old Norse gnaga, Old High German gnagan
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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