hew

¹

[hyoo, yoo]

verb (used with object)

hewed, hewed, hewn, hewing. 

1. to strike forcibly with an ax, sword, or other cutting instrument; chop; hack.

2. to make, shape, smooth, etc., with cutting blows.

   to hew a passage through the crowd; to hew a statue from marble.

   Synonyms: form

3. 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.

4. to cut down; fell.

   to hew wood; trees hewed down by the storm.

verb (used without object)

hewed, hewed, hewn, hewing. 

1. to strike with cutting blows; cut.

   He hewed more vigorously each time.

2. to uphold, follow closely, or conform (usually followed byto ).

   to hew to the tenets of one's political party.

HEW

²

abbreviation

1. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

hew

¹

/ hjuː /

verb

1. to strike (something, esp wood) with cutting blows, as with an axe

2. to shape or carve from a substance

3. (tr; often foll by away, down, from, off, etc) to sever from a larger or another portion

4. to conform (to a code, principle, etc)

HEW

²

abbreviation

1. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare

Other Word Forms

• hewer noun
• hewable adjective
• unhewable adjective
• unhewed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hew¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English hewen, Old English hēawan; cognate with German hauen, Old Norse hǫggva; akin to haggle

Word History and Origins

Origin of hew¹

Old English hēawan; related to Old Norse heggva, Old Saxon hāwa, Old High German houwan, Latin cūdere to beat

Synonym Study

See cut.

Example Sentences

The intention of the proposed measure is to hew as closely to the county regulations as possible, including provisions that provide flexibility to small landlords, Blumenfield said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

They dig deep and meandering tunnels - and hew out rocks to sell to mostly Chinese buyers, who then extract copper.

Read more on BBC

DeLone's hews more closely to the classic, which she says is a sort of Rhode Island staple; although the restaurant is located in West Hollywood, their focus is New England-style seafood.

Read more on Salon

Yet so far, authorities have mostly hewed to the if-it-ain’t-broke approach.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He largely hewed to the church’s conservative line on social issues such as abortion and LGBTQ+ rights but urged clerics not to be “obsessed with” those issues.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cleave