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chew

Pronunciation: /tʃuː/
Translate chew | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of chew

verb

[with object]
  • bite and work (food) in the mouth with the teeth, especially to make it easier to swallow:he was chewing a mouthful of toast [no object]:he chewed for a moment, then swallowed
  • gnaw at (something) persistently:he chewed his lip reflectively [no object]:she chewed at a fingernail

noun

  • a repeated biting or gnawing of something: the dog was enjoying a quiet chew of his bone
  • something that is meant for chewing:a dog chew a chew of tobacco
  • a chewy sweet: a gobstopper or a chew could be bought for a farthing

Phrases

chew the cud

see cud.

chew the fat (or rag)

informal chat in a leisurely and prolonged way: we were chewing the fat, telling stories about the old days

Phrasal Verbs

chew someone out

North American informal reprimand someone severely:he chewed me out for being late

chew something over

discuss or consider something at length:executives met to chew over the company’s future

chew something up

damage or destroy something as if by chewing:the bikes were chewing up the paths

Derivatives

chewable

adjective

chewer

noun
[usually in combination]:a tobacco-chewer

Origin:

Old English cēowan, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kauwen and German kauen

chew in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of chew in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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