What does "sew" mean?
Broth, gravy.
Sew
/soʊ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Broth, gravy.
- Grammar: sew is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: stitch, articulate, backstitch, batten.
- Useful contrasts: linecut, rip, ripping.
- Usage evidence: Would you sew a button on my shirt?
How to use "sew"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sew" 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 "sew" 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 "sew" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sew" 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 "sew" is acting as noun, verb 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 "stitch" 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 "sew", 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 Broth, gravy. obsolete
"And than as for other Potages, ſtued Trypys, yt is dight redy. And than for to make the Numbleis in ſewe[…]"
Verb
- 1 To use a needle to pass thread repeatedly through (pieces of fabric) in order to join them together. transitive
"Balls were first made of grass or leaves held together by strings, and later of pieces of animal skin sewn together and stuffed with feathers or hay."
- 2 To drain the water from. obsolete, transitive
"Now geld with the gelder the ram and the bul, / sew ponds, amend dammes, and sel webster thy wul"
- 3 fasten by sewing; do needlework wordnet
- 4 To use a needle to pass thread repeatedly through pieces of fabric in order to join them together. intransitive
- 5 Of a ship, to be grounded.
"The upward reaction of the keel blocks may be considered as a negative weight in a moment calculation, producing a decrease in the ship's stability, and it is most important that the vessel remains stable until she takes the blocks along the full length of her keel, i.e. when she is sewed, for until this moment the side shores cannot be successfully rigged."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 create (clothes) with cloth wordnet
- 7 Followed by into: to enclose by sewing. transitive
"to sew money into a bag"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Would you sew a button on my shirt?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sew"?
Common synonyms include: stitch, articulate, backstitch, batten, batten down, bleed.
How do you use "sew" in a sentence?
Would you sew a button on my shirt?
How do you pronounce "sew"?
Pronounced /soʊ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English sewen, seowen, sowen, from Old English siwian, seowian, seowan (“to sew, mend, patch, knit together, link, unite”), from Proto-Germanic *siwjaną (“to sew”), from Proto-Indo-European *syewh₁- (“to sew”). Cognate with Scots sew, North Frisian saie, sei, Saterland Frisian säie, Danish sy, Swedish sy, and, more distantly, Polish szyć, Russian шить (šitʹ), Latin suō, Sanskrit सीव्यति (sī́vyati). Related to seam.
Etymology 2
Back-formation from sewer (“a drain”).
Etymology 3
From Middle English sew (“broth”), from Old English sēaw (“sap, juice”), from Proto-West Germanic *sauw.