stew

¹

[ stoo, styoo ]

verb (used with object)

1. to cook (food) by simmering or slow boiling.

verb (used without object)

1. to undergo cooking by simmering or slow boiling.
2. Informal. to fret, worry, or fuss:

   He stewed about his chaotic state of affairs all day.

3. to feel uncomfortable due to a hot, humid, stuffy atmosphere, as in a closed room; swelter.

noun

1. a preparation of meat, fish, or other food cooked by stewing, especially a mixture of meat and vegetables.

   Synonyms: ragout, casserole

2. Informal. a state of agitation, uneasiness, or worry.
3. a brothel; whorehouse.
4. stews, a neighborhood occupied chiefly by brothels.
5. Obsolete. a vessel for boiling or stewing.

stew

²

[ stoo, styoo ]

noun

, Slang.

1. a male or female flight attendant.

stew

¹

/ stjuː /

noun

1. a fishpond or fishtank
2. an artificial oyster bed

stew

²

/ stjuː /

noun

1. 1. a dish of meat, fish, or other food, cooked by stewing
   2. ( as modifier )

      stew pot

2. informal.
   a difficult or worrying situation or a troubled state (esp in the phrase in a stew )
3. a heterogeneous mixture

   a stew of people of every race

4. archaic.
   usually plural a brothel
5. obsolete.
   a public room for hot steam baths

verb

1. to cook or cause to cook by long slow simmering
2. informal.
   intr to be troubled or agitated
3. informal.
   intr to be oppressed with heat or crowding
4. to cause (tea) to become bitter or (of tea) to become bitter through infusing for too long
5. stew in one's own juice
   stew in one's own juice to suffer unaided the consequences of one's actions

Other Words From

• stewa·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stew¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English steuen, stuwe “to take a sweat bath,” from Middle French estuver, verbal derivative of estuve “sweat room of a bath”; stove ¹

Origin of stew²

An Americanism dating back to 1970–1975; shortening of steward ( def ) or stewardess ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of stew¹

C14: from Old French estui, from estoier to shut up, confine, ultimately from Latin studium study

Origin of stew²

C14 stuen to take a very hot bath, from Old French estuver, from Vulgar Latin extūfāre (unattested), from ex- ¹+ (unattested) tūfus vapour, from Greek tuphos

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. stew in one's own juice, to suffer the consequences of one's own actions.

More idioms and phrases containing stew

In addition to the idiom beginning with stew , also see in a stew .

Synonym Study

See boil ¹.

Example Sentences

“The combination of half-listening and overdramatization of the facts by the media creates an anxiety-driven stew,” Ridge says.

From Science News

If you’re not sure how well your thermos works, you’re better off packing hot water and mixing it with dehydrated soup packets on the trail versus packing beef stew to go.

From Outside Online

The kettle comes with an inner stew pot, tea basket, and infuser so you can simply place your ingredients in the proper container, secure them to the kettle, and get cooking.

From Popular-Science

For real, it has nine functions that can help you make a slow-cooked meal, stew, yogurt, natural fruit or loose leaf tea, warm milk, and so much more.

From Popular-Science

Use your options wiselyBone broth is often used as a soup base for more complex soups and stews.

From Popular-Science

“Gronkowski” itself never manages to sound more erotic than the name of a hearty Polish stew or a D-list WWE performer.

From The Daily Beast

Earlier this month, Toledo, Ohio, watched its municipal water supply descend into an undrinkable stew of algal toxins.

From The Daily Beast

There could be no more fitting companion for the Acadian chicken stew entree inscribed on a blackboard in the dining room.

From The Daily Beast

Sometimes there'd be a whole flock of guys, and she'd give us a stew or a thick soup.

From The Daily Beast

We can only sit and stew in our conviction that anime is becoming an important port of inspiration.

From The Daily Beast

"I think stew is much better the second day," observed Benny, eating hungrily.

From Project Gutenberg

The girls lighted the fire and heated up the remainder of the stew and cut the bread.

From Project Gutenberg

So Corydon would add more flannel dresses and blankets, until the unfortunate mite of life would be in a purple stew.

From Project Gutenberg

Uncle Cephas liked a hot supper; they had chicken stew to-night, and boiled rice.

From Project Gutenberg

I have some rabbit stew on the fire, Humphrey, all ready for you, and you will find it very good.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• boil
• fret
• fume
• seethe
• simmer