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chew
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- pronunciation:
- chu
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb, noun
- phrases:
- chew out, chew the fat, chew the rag
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
chews, chewing, chewed |
| definition 1: |
to tear or grind between the teeth; masticate.
The elderly man chewed his food with difficulty.Are you chewing gum, or eating candy?- synonyms:
- masticate
- similar words:
- bite, champ, crunch, gnaw, grind, munch, nibble, ruminate
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| definition 2: |
to act upon as if with teeth; to tear, grind, or damage (often fol. by "up").
The blades of the fan chewed her scarf into bits.That cheap sharpener chewed up my pencil.- synonyms:
- rend, shred
- similar words:
- crunch, crush, gnaw, grind, masticate
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| definition 3: |
to ponder or consider (usu. fol. by "over").
We sat silently, chewing over our lawyer's words.- synonyms:
- cogitate, contemplate, mull, ponder, reflect on, ruminate
- similar words:
- consider, deliberate, meditate on, think, weigh
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| related words: |
eat, meditate, ruminate, taste |
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| phrase: |
chew out, chew the fat, chew the rag |
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| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| definition: |
to move the jaws in a grinding motion (sometimes fol.by "on.")
The dog loves to chew on this rubber toy.I'd finished eating, but she was still chewing. |
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
the act of chewing.
- similar words:
- bite, champ, nibble
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| definition 2: |
something for chewing, esp. a plug of tobacco.
- synonyms:
- plug
- similar words:
- bite, chewing gum, tobacco
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| derivations: |
chewable (adj.), chewer (n.) |
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