pew

[ pyoo ]

/ pyu /

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noun

(in a church) one of a number of fixed, benchlike seats with backs, accessible by aisles, for the use of the congregation.

an enclosed seat in a church, or an enclosure with seats, usually reserved for a family or other group of worshipers.

those occupying pews; congregation.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of pew

1350–1400; Middle English puwe<Middle French puie balcony <Latin podia, plural (taken as singular) of podium balcony. See podium

Words nearby pew

peu à peu, peu de chose, Peul, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, Pevsner, pew, pewage, pewee, pew hinge, pewholder, pewit

Other definitions for pew (2 of 2)

PEW

abbreviation Biology, Ecology.

possibly extinct in the wild.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use pew in a sentence

According to Pew, 14 of the 20 countries in the Middle East and North Africa have blasphemy laws.
In Defense of Blasphemy|Michael Tomasky|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Have a look at this telling research from Pew on blasphemy and apostasy laws around the world.
In Defense of Blasphemy|Michael Tomasky|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Hispanics, notes a recent Pew survey economic issues easily trump immigration.
Time to Bring Back the Truman Democrats|Joel Kotkin|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Pew poll also found most African Americans expect relations between police and minorities will actually get worse.
Dr. Howard Fuller's Injustice Education|Campbell Brown|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

According to a 2013 Pew Research Center study 28 percent of Jews ages 18 to 49 keep kosher inside their homes.
I Ate Potato Pancakes Til I Plotzed|Emily Shire|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Maude went to church in the evening, sitting alone in the great pew, pale and quiet.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
The Crompton pew was not occupied until Howard came and was occasionally seen in it.
The Cromptons|Mary J. Holmes
The first hop took it to the top of the pew; the second perched it on the shoulder of the stoutest lady.
Eric, or Little by Little|Frederic W. Farrar
In the morning to church, where at the door of our pew I was fain to stay, because that the sexton had not opened the door.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete|Samuel Pepys
Nearly the whole of the pew holders are factory people; not above six or seven of them find employment outside of mills.
Our Churches and Chapels|Atticus

British Dictionary definitions for pew

pew

/ (pjuː) /

noun

(in a church)

one of several long benchlike seats with backs, used by the congregation
an enclosed compartment reserved for the use of a family or other small group

British informal a seat (esp in the phrase take a pew)

Word Origin for pew

C14 pywe, from Old French puye, from Latin podium a balcony, from Greek podion supporting structure, from pous foot

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012