chewn.
/tʃ(j)uː/ 1. The action of chew v.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > consumption of food or drink > eating > processes or manners of eating > [noun] > chewing
chewingc1000
chewc1200
mastication?a1425
chamming1528
chawing?1533
champing1592
champ1604
manducation1650
masticating1827
c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 35 Ofte mid wurmene icheu.
c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 123 Hwile wurmene cheu and fele oðre þe ich telle ne mai.
1878 L. P. Meredith Teeth (ed. 2) 217 After every smoke or chew, brush the teeth thoroughly.
ΚΠ
c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 13 Chest and chew and twifold speche and ilch fliting of worde.
3. That which is chewed or for chewing; spec. a quid (of tobacco). Also, a sweetmeat, esp. a ‘chewy’ one.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > tobacco > [noun] > tobacco in a roll, cake, or stick > small piece cut from
cudeOE
quid1720
chew1725
chaw1772
fid1793
fig1838
plug1843
the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > confections or sweetmeats > sweets > [noun] > a sweet > chewy sweet
stickjaw1827
tie-teeth1879
chew1936
1725 London Gaz. No. 6387/2 Commonly has a Chew of Tobacco in his under Lip.
1748 T. Smollett Roderick Random I. xxxii. 284 One of the sailors..put a large chew of tobacco in his mouth.
1887 M. Roberts Western Avernus xx The floors..covered with saliva, old chews, and tobacco ash.
1936 K. Morrow & H. Hemminger Western Cook Bk. 40 (heading) Chinese Chews.
1950 B. Sutton-Smith Our Street iv. 48 He would spend it on biscuits and chews.
1959 I. Opie & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolchildren ix. 166 Sweets are..‘chews’ in Aberystwyth.
1967 L. Deighton London Dossier 158 Chewable trifles such as wine-gums..and nougat-based chews on sticks.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
chewv.
/tʃ(j)uː/ 1.
a. transitive. To crush, bruise, and grind to pulp, by the continued action of the molar teeth, with help of the tongue, cheeks, and saliva.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > tobacco > action of chewing tobacco > chew tobacco [verb (transitive)]
chew1838
c1000 Ælfric Homilies (Bosw.) I. 510 He het hine ceowan mid toþum his fingras.
c1000 Ælfric Homilies I. 404 Hi cuwon heora girdlas, and gærs æton.
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 64 Hwase cheoweð spices.
c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Miller's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 504 But first he cheweth grayn and likorys To smellen swete.
1600 W. Cornwallis Ess. I. xxiv. sig. N3v Barre some fellow from chewing a stick.
1723 J. Clarke tr. Rohault's Syst. Nat. Philos. I. i. xxiv. 175 It excites but a very small Sensation in those who chew the Wood.
1810 E. D. Clarke Trav. Var. Countries: Pt. 1st xx. 512 To lead a very idle life,..chewing tobacco or opium.
1838 T. Thomson Chem. Org. Bodies 803 No astringency is perceived when a piece of it is chewed.
1865 D. Livingstone & C. Livingstone Narr. Exped. Zambesi xix. 398 They frequently chew the branches for the bark and the sap alone.
b. In early times often equivalent to gnaw.
ΚΠ
OE Soul & Body I 72 Þe sculon her moldwyrmas manige ceowan, slitan sarlice swearte wihta, gifre ond grædige.
c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 183 Iuele wurmes mote þe chewe.
2.
a. esp. To perform this operation upon (food), in preparation for swallowing it; to masticate. Sometimes, To eat with chewing, devour.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > consumption of food or drink > eating > processes or manners of eating > eat via specific process [verb (transitive)] > chew
grindc1200
chew1377
chow1382
chaw1530
masticate1562
chop1581
manducate1623
jawa1625
1377 W. Langland Piers Plowman B. xviii. 199 Let hem chewe as þei and chide we not, susteres, For hit is a botless bale þe byte þat þei eten.
1530 Myroure Oure Ladye (Fawkes) (1873) i. 40 Bodely meate is not ryght profytable, but yf yt be wel chewyd.
a1616 W. Shakespeare As you like It (1623) iv. iii. 102 Chewing the food of sweet and bitter fancie. View more context for this quotation
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan iii. xxxii. 195 Pills..chewed, are for the most part cast up again without effect.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth III. 349 These [teeth] also seem better adapted for tearing and chewing, than those of the cat kind.
1879 J. A. Froude Cæsar xv. 247 I am chewing what I have to swallow.
b. To masticate for another.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > consumption of food or drink > eating > processes or manners of eating > eat via specific process [verb (transitive)] > chew > for another
chew1398
1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum (1495) vi. ix. 195 The moder chewyth meete in her mouth and makyth it redy to the tothlees chylde that he may the easylyar swolowe the meete.
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Chewed meate..is the meate whiche a nource cheweth.
1713 R. Steele Englishman No. 15. 101 Chew or cut it small, that the Lion may swallow it safely.
3. figurative and transferred in many applications:† f. to chew to (a person): (cf. 2b); to reduce (anything) to a condition ready for another's use, to prepare (words, etc.) for another to utter. Obsolete.
a. by simile.
ΚΠ
1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. iii. 140 Holy churche, and charite ȝe cheweþ and deuoureþ.
1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. vii. 154 (MS. F) I spak no speche it swal so my breste þat I chewed it as a cowe þat code chewith ofte.
1597 F. Bacon Ess. f. 1v Some bookes are to bee tasted, others to bee swallowed, and some few to bee chewed and disgested.
1696 J. Evelyn Let. 3 Dec. in S. Pepys Private Corr. (1926) I. 133 I have of late ben chewing-over some old stories.
b. in reference to spiritual food: To meditate on.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > aspects of faith > spirituality > contemplation or meditation > contemplate [verb (transitive)]
chewc1175
contemplate1560
meditate1560
medite1606
recollect1626
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 1241 Forr þe to ȝifenn bisne. Þatt te birrþ ummbeþennkenn aȝȝ. & chewwenn i þin heorrte Hu þu mihht cwemenn þin drihhtin.
c1410 N. Love tr. Bonaventura Mirror Life Christ (Sherard MS.) Gostly chewynge in þat manere the gospell of crist.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. MMMvii The commaundementes of god, of the whiche we must fede dayly, & chewe them in our hertes, by oft meditacion.
c. in reference to counsels, opinions, statements, etc.: To consider or examine deliberately (as a process preliminary to swallowing and digesting them).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > thought > continued thinking, reflection, contemplation > thinking about, consideration, deliberation > consider, deliberate [verb (transitive)]
i-thenchec897
showeOE
i-mune971
thinkOE
overthinkOE
takec1175
umbethinkc1175
waltc1200
bethinkc1220
wend?c1225
weighc1380
delivera1382
peisea1382
considerc1385
musec1390
to look over ——a1393
advise?c1400
debatec1400
roll?c1400
revert?a1425
advertc1425
deliberc1425
movec1425
musec1425
revolvec1425
contemplec1429
overseec1440
to think overc1440
perpend1447
roil1447
pondera1450
to eat inc1450
involvec1470
ponderate?a1475
reputec1475
counterpoise1477
poisea1483
traversec1487
umbecast1487
digest1488
undercast1489
overhalec1500
rumble1519
volve?1520
compassa1522
recount1526
trutinate1528
cast1530
expend1531
ruminate1533
concoct1534
contemplate1538
deliberate1540
revolute1553
chawa1558
to turn over1568
cud1569
cogitate1570
huik1570
chew1579
meditatec1580
discourse1581
speculate1599
theorize1599
scance1603
verse1614
pensitate1623
agitate1629
spell1633
view1637
study1659
designa1676
introspect1683
troll1685
balance1692
to figure on or upon1837
reflect1862
mull1873
to mull over1874
scour1882
mill1905
1579 L. Tomson tr. J. Calvin Serm. Epist. S. Paule to Timothie & Titus 367/1 It is good..to haue thinges well chewed, that we may the better digest them.
a1629 C. Cornwallis Disc. Prince Henry (1641) 8 Counsells are to be chewed not swallowed.
1663 J. Spencer Disc. Prodigies (1665) 397.
1678 R. Cudworth True Intellect. Syst. Universe i. iv. 560 Nor scrupulously chew or examine any thing.
d. in reference to plans, etc.: To meditate, devise or plan deliberately.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > intention > planning > plan [verb (transitive)]
forethinkc897
bethinka1225
compass1297
contrivec1330
ordain1340
conjectc1380
imaginec1380
cast1382
ordaina1387
advisec1400
forecast1413
imagec1450
ordainc1450
project1477
foreminda1535
invent1539
aimc1540
practise1550
plat1556
trive1573
meditate1582
patterna1586
plot1589
platform1592
design1594
chew1600
forelay1605
to map out1618
to cut out1619
agitate1629
laya1631
plod1631
cut1645
calculate1654
concert1702
to scheme out1716
plan1718
model1725
to rough out1738
to lay out1741
plan1755
prethink1760
shape1823
programme1834
pre-plan1847
encompass1882
target1948
1600 W. Shakespeare Henry V ii. ii. 55 Capitall crimes, Chewed, swallowed and disgested.
1683 J. Dryden & N. Lee Duke of Guise i. i. 11 If while alive I cease to chew their Ruine.
1718 M. Prior To Mr. Harley 285 He chews Revenge.
e. in reference to words: To take or retain in the mouth; to keep saying or mumbling over.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > repetition > repeat [verb (transitive)] > often or over and over
decantate1542
chewa1616
dictitate1615
decant1674
a1616 W. Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) ii. iv. 5 Heauen in my mouth, As if I did but onely chew his name. View more context for this quotation
1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple III. i. 7 Her mother was startled when she put the question to her, and chewed it, and cursed her when she insisted upon the truth.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > undertaking > preparation > prepare [verb (transitive)] > for use > prepare for another's use
to chew to1594
predigest1905
1594 R. Carew tr. J. Huarte Exam. Mens Wits xi. 156 Lawyers..if the cases which the law thrusteth into their mouth, be not squared and chewed to their hands, they are to seek what to doe.
1641 J. Milton Animadversions 18 A Minister that cannot be trusted to pray in his own words without being chew'd to..should as little be trusted to Preach.
g. to chew oakum (Naut.): (of a ship) to grind the oakum out of its seams by the working of its timbers.
ΚΠ
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Chewing of Oakum or Pitch.
h. Slang phr. to chew the rag or fat: to discuss a matter, esp. complainingly; to reiterate an old grievance; to grumble; to argue; to talk or chat; to spin a yarn.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > conversation > converse [verb (intransitive)] > discuss things already spoken of
to beat over the old ground1792
to chew the rag or fat1885
1885 J. B. Patterson Life in Ranks ix. 77 Persisting to argue the point, or ‘chew the rag’, as it is termed in rank and file phraseology, with some extra intelligent non-commissioned officer.
1885 J. B. Patterson Life in Ranks xv. 124 The various diversions of whistling, singing, arguing the point, chewing the rag, or fat.
1891 J. M. Dixon Dict. Idiomatic Eng. Phrases (at cited word) He was chewing the rag at me the whole afternoon.
1909 Scribner's Mag. Aug. 250/2 How better is conversational impotence characterized than by ‘chewing the rag’?
1916 Punch 23 Aug. 144/3 I got me woes..An' she's got 'ers, the good Lord knows, Although she never chews the fat.
1916 ‘Taffrail’ Pincher Martin viii. 134 D'you think I'm standin' up 'ere 'longside a blackboard chewin' my fat for the good o' my 'ealth, or wot?
1916 ‘Taffrail’ Pincher Martin viii. 134 Chewing the fat, spinning a yarn.
1919 War Slang in Athenæum 8 Aug. 727/2 If anyone starts fault-finding or ‘chewing the fat’ he is immediately ‘ticked off’.
1928 Daily Express 2 Mar. 5/2 We ‘chew the rag’, as our husbands would call it, over happenings of weeks and even months ago.
1931 R. Campbell Georgiad i. 17 The scavengers of letters Convene to chew the fat about their betters.
1942 P. G. Wodehouse Money in Bank xii. 120 We were at J. Sheringham Adair's office, chewing the fat with J. Sheringham Adair.
1948 ‘J. Tey’ Franchise Affair xi. 117 We had that paper in the pantry last Friday and chewed the rag over it for hours!
4. to chew the cud:
a. of certain quadrupeds, to bring back into the mouth and masticate the food which has been coarsely bruised and swallowed into a first stomach; to ruminate.In Old English the simple céowan is so used; the Ayenb. has eftchyewe.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > subfamily Bovinae (bovine) > [verb (intransitive)] > chew cud
to chew the cudc1000
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > subfamily Bovinae (bovine) > [verb (transitive)] > chew the cud
to chew the cudc1000
c1000 Ælfric Leviticus xi. 3 Ðæt hig eton þa nytenu þe hira clawe todælede beoþ and ceowaþ. Ne ete ge þa þing þe ceowaþ, and clawe ne todælaþ.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 1236 Oxe chewweþþ..Hiss cude.
a1300 Cursor Mundi 1958 O beist has clouen fote in tua An chewand cude, ȝee ete o þaa.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 86 Efterward me ssel þesne mete eft chyewe ase þe oxe þet gers þet he heþ vorzuelȝe.
1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Lev. xi. 3 Alle that han the clee dyuydid, and chewith kude.
1664 H. Power Exper. Philos. i. 16 Like so many Ginny-Pigs, munching and chewing the cud.
1836 M. Scott Cruise of Midge xvi. 265 The cattle..stood listlessly chewing their cuds.
b. figurative. To ‘ruminate’.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > thought > continued thinking, reflection, contemplation > thinking about, consideration, deliberation > think about, consider [verb (intransitive)]
thinkOE
thinkOE
bethinka1200
umthinka1300
to have mind ofc1300
casta1340
studya1375
delivera1382
to chew the cudc1384
to take advisementa1393
stema1400
compassc1400
advisec1405
deliberc1405
to make it wisec1405
to take deliberationc1405
enter?a1413
riddlec1426
hovec1440
devise?c1450
to study by (also in) oneself?c1450
considerc1460
porec1500
regard1523
deliberate1543
to put on one's thinking or considering cap1546
contemplate1560
consult1565
perpend1568
vise1568
to consider of1569
weigh1573
ruminate1574
dascanc1579
to lay to (one's) heart1588
pondera1593
debate1594
reflect1596
comment1597
perponder1599
revolvea1600
rumine1605
consider on, upon1606
to think twice1623
reflex1631
spell1645
ponderatea1652
to turn about1725
to cast a thought, a reflection upon1736
to wake over1771
incubatea1847
mull1857
fink1888
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Hosea vii. 14 Thei chewiden cud vpon whete, and wijne, and departiden fro me.
1547 Certain Serm. or Homilies Exhort. Holy Script. ii, in J. Griffiths Two Bks. Homilies (1859) i.15 Let vs ruminate, and (as it were) chewe the cudde that wee maye haue the sweete iewse..& consolation of them.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones VI. xviii. iii. 184 Having left her a little while to chew the Cud (if I may use that Expression) on these first Tidings. View more context for this quotation
1771 T. Smollett Humphry Clinker II. 196 I shall for some time continue to chew the cud of reflection.
1829 R. Southey Oliver Newman vii And in all outward patience chew the while The cud of bitter thoughts.
1876 Maxwell in Life xiv.
1880 R. Broughton Second Thoughts I. i. xii. 204 She is dismally chewing the cud of sour reflection.
5. † a. To worry with reproaches, etc.; ‘to jaw’ (Cockayne). Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > reproach > [verb (transitive)] > worry with reproaches
chewc1230
c1230 Hali Meid. 31 Chit te & cheoweð þe & schent te schomeliche.
b. With out. To reprimand. colloquial (chiefly U.S.).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > rebuke or reproof > rebuke or reprove [verb (transitive)] > scold
chidec1230
ban1340
tongue1388
rate1393
flite14..
rehetec1400
janglec1430
chafec1485
rattle1542
berate1548
quarrel1587
hazen?1608
bequarrel1624
huff1674
shrewa1687
to claw away, off1692
tongue-pad1707
to blow up1710
scold1718
rag1739
redd1776
bullyraga1790
jaw1810
targe1825
haze1829
overhaul1840
tongue-walk1841
trim1882
to call down1883
tongue-lash1887
roar1917
to go off at (a person)1941
chew1948
wrinch2009
1948 J. B. Roulier in N.Y. Folk Q. IV. i. 18 A verbal admonishing from a superior would be recorded by the victim with ‘I just got eaten out’ or ‘I just got chewed out’.
1963 H. Garner in R. Weaver Canadian Short Stories (1968) 2nd Ser. 48 Walters chewed him out for not knowing that the specifications had been changed.
1967 R. J. Serling President's Plane is Missing (1968) ii. 20 When Gunther Damon chewed out an errant staffer, his five feet eight seemed to swell to six feet.
6. intransitive. To perform the action described in sense 1, 2; to exercise the jaws and teeth (on, upon anything); to bite, champ.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > consumption of food or drink > eating > processes or manners of eating > eat via specific process [verb (intransitive)] > chew
chow1382
chew1393
ruminate1605
masticate1935
1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. xvi. 46 Ac of þese metes þis maister myghte not wel chewe.
1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball ii. ci. 287 The same chewen upon maketh one to avoyde much flegme.
1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 ii. ii. 24 The veriest varlet that euer chewed with a tooth. View more context for this quotation
1856 E. K. Kane Arctic Explor. II. xxix. 288 The cartilaginous parts of the fore-flippers were passed round to be chewed upon.
7. figurative. To exercise the mind, meditate, ruminate upon, on, occasionally at. Also with over; esp. to discuss, talk over (a matter).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > conversation > converse with [verb (transitive)] > discuss or confer about
bespeakc1175
roundc1275
talka1387
discuss1402
commune1423
common1435
discutec1440
ventilate?1530
discourse1546
confer1552
consult?1553
imparlc1600
parle1631
conjobble1692
to talk over1734
chew1939
punt1945
to kick about1966
1580 J. Lyly Euphues & his Eng. (new ed.) f. 66v I haue more desire to chew vpon melancholy, then to dispute vppon Magicke.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) i. ii. 172.
1651 N. Bacon Contin. Hist. Disc. Govt. viii. 83 I shall onely leave the Reader to chew upon the Point.
1734 A. Pope Epist. to Visct. Cobham 12 Old Politicians chew on Wisdom past, And blunder on in Bus'ness to the last.
1833 C. Lamb Ellistoniana in Last Ess. Elia 39 To chew upon his new-blown dignities.
1883 ‘M. Twain’ Life on Mississippi liii. 527 When you come to..chew at it and think it over.
1939 R. Chandler Big Sleep xxv. 149 Drop up and chew it over.
1952 ‘M. Innes’ Private View ii. 37 Must you people really go on chewing over Gavin?
1953 S. Kauffmann Philanderer xv. 247 I certainly don't want to chew the matter over tonight.
1960 L. Cooper Accomplices i. vi. 62 I chewed it over for a bit and came to the conclusion that I'd better speak to John Pollard.
8. to chew up: to demolish. Cf. chaw v. 3.
ΚΠ
1837–40 T. C. Haliburton Clockmaker (1862) 391 I felt as if I could chew him right up.
Draft additions March 2021
chew toy n. any of various kinds of toy, usually made from hard rubber, designed for a dog or other domesticated animal to chew on for the purpose of stimulation or to help maintain healthy teeth; (later also) any of various similar kinds of toy designed for an infant to chew on while teething.Also in figurative contexts (cf. quot. 1990).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > toy or plaything > other toys > [noun] > others
spurc1450
cock1608
turnel1621
corala1625
house of cardsa1625
Jack-in-the-box1659
(Prince) Rupert's Drops1662
sucker1681
whirligig1686
playbook1694
card house1733
snapper1788
card castle1792
Aaron's bells?1795
Noah's Ark1807
Jacob's ladder1820
cat-stairs1825
daisy chain1841
beanbag1861
playboat1865
piñata1868
teething ring1872
weet-weet1878
tumble-over1883
water cracker1887
jumping-bean1889
play money1894
serpentin1894
comforter1898
pacifier1901
dummy1903
bubble water1904
yo-yo1915
paper airplane1921
snowstorm1926
titty1927
teaser1935
Slinky1948
teether1949
Mr Potato Head1952
squeeze toy1954
Frisbee1957
mobile1957
chew toy1959
water-rocket1961
Crazy Foam1965
playshop1967
war toy1973
waterball1974
pull-along1976
transformer1984
Aerobie1985
1959 Marion (Ohio) Star 11 Nov. (Home ed.) b45/3 Dogs love to unwrap presents, too, so select safe, chew toys; new bed or plaid coat.
1990 Christian Sci. Monitor (Nexis) 5 Sept. 20 In practice, the EPA's regulations amount to a chew-toy for environmentalists. School districts that don't comply aren't penalized. And the EPA relies heavily on complaints from school custodians and concerned parents.
1999 Ebony (Nexis) Aug. 66 Must-haves for teething babies are sterile, non-toxic teething rings..or special chew toys that are great for playing and gnawing.
2020 N.Y. Times (Nexis) 28 June (Mag.) 20 I could hear her Labradoodle, Kevin, playing with a squeaky chew toy in the background.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.c1200
v.OE