What does "chew" mean?
The act of chewing; mastication with the mouth.
Chew
/tʃuː/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of chewing; mastication with the mouth.
- Grammar: chew is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: chewing, mastication, plug, bawl out.
- Useful contrasts: disregard, hold intact, ignore.
- Usage evidence: Mabel loves to chew the fat while playing bridge.
How to use "chew"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "chew" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "chew" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "chew" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "chew" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "chew" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "chewing" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "chew", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of chewing; mastication with the mouth. countable, uncountable
"I popped the gum into my mouth and gave it a chew."
- 2 biting and grinding food in your mouth so it becomes soft enough to swallow wordnet
- 3 Level of chewiness. countable, uncountable
"Once it's cooked, it's not enough of a hard chew to count."
- 4 a wad of something chewable as tobacco wordnet
- 5 A small sweet, such as a taffy, that is eaten by chewing. countable, uncountable
"Phillip purchased a bag of licorice chews at the drugstore."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 Chewing tobacco. informal, uncountable
"The school had banned chew and smokes from the school grounds, even for adults."
- 7 A plug or wad of chewing tobacco; chaw or a chaw. countable
"The ballplayers sat on the bench watching the rain, glumly working their chews."
- 8 The condition of something being torn or ground up mechanically. informal, uncountable
"Avoiding Tape Chew. In the early days of the ADAT, the "V" blocks (two arms that thread the tape around the front of the head) could sometimes get out of alignment and "chew" the outside track […]"
Verb
- 1 To crush with the teeth by repeated closing and opening of the jaws; done to food to soften it and break it down by the action of saliva before it is swallowed.
"Make sure to chew thoroughly, and don't talk with your mouth full!"
- 2 chew (food); to bite and grind with the teeth wordnet
- 3 To grind, tear, or otherwise degrade or demolish something with teeth or as with teeth.
"He keeps his feed in steel drums to prevent the mice from chewing holes in the feed-sacks."
- 4 To think about something; to ponder; to chew over. informal
"The professor stood at the blackboard, chalk in hand, and chewed the question the student had asked."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname. countable, uncountable
- 2 A river in Somerset, England. countable, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Mabel loves to chew the fat while playing bridge."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "chew"?
Common synonyms include: chewing, mastication, plug, bawl out, bit, bite.
How do you use "chew" in a sentence?
Mabel loves to chew the fat while playing bridge.
How do you pronounce "chew"?
Pronounced /tʃuː/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English chewen, from Old English ċēowan, from Proto-West Germanic *keuwan, from Proto-Germanic *kewwaną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵyewh₁-. Cognate with West Frisian kôgje, Low German käwwen, Dutch kauwen, German kauen; also Latin gingīva (“gums”), Tocharian B śuwaṃ (“to eat”), Polish żuć (“to chew”), Persian جویدن (javidan), Pashto ژول (žovạl, “to bite, gnaw”).
Etymology 2
From Middle English chew, cheu, icheu, from Old English *ċēaw, *ġeċēaw (“chewing”), from Proto-West Germanic *kauw, *gakauw (“chewing”), from Proto-Germanic *kewwaną (“to chew”). Cognate with obsolete Dutch kauw (“chewing”), Dutch gekauw (“chewing”), West Frisian gekau (“chewing”).
Etymology 3
* As an English surname, Chew has a number of separate origins: ** A toponymic surname referring to a place in Billington, Lancashire. It was originally spelled Cho, from Middle English cho, which is possibly a descendant of Old English *cēo (“gill”), denoting a ravine. ** A toponymic surname referring to Chew Magna or Chew Stoke in Somerset, England. ** A nickname from Old English ċīo, ċēo, which refers to smaller chattering species of crow, in particular the red-billed chough. * As a Chinese surname, borrowed from Hokkien 周 (Chiu), Teochew 周 (ziu1), Cantonese 趙／赵 (ziu6), etc.