chew

Formschews, chewing, chewed

Pluralchews

1. 1
   verbtransitive or intransitive

   To break food into smaller pieces using your teeth and saliva before swallowing.

   Like a blender breaking food up into tiny soft bits.

   Children should chew their food slowly before swallowing.

   The dog was chewing on a bone out in the yard.

   Similarmunch, chomp, masticate

2. 2
   verbtransitive or intransitive

   To tear or grind something up with teeth, or in a way that acts like teeth.

   Like a saw cutting through wood, bit by bit.

   Machines like this can chew through solid rock.

   The gears chewed up the fabric that got caught inside.

   Similargnaw, grind, tear, eat

3. 3
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The action of breaking food up with your teeth inside the mouth.

   Like crushing ice in your mouth before it melts away.

   Give the food a good chew before swallowing.

   A slow chew helps your body take in more from the meal.

4. 4
   verbcolloquialtransitive or intransitive

   To think about something carefully for a while.

   Like turning a problem over in your head again and again.

   Let me chew on that idea for a day or two.

   She chewed over the offer before finally saying yes.

   Similarponder, mull, consider, contemplate, ruminate

5. 5
   nouncountable or uncountable

   A soft, sticky candy that you eat by chewing it.

   Like a gummy bear that stays soft as you chew it.

   She bought a bag of fruit chews at the corner store.

   He offered me a chew from the packet in his pocket.

6. 6
   nouncolloquialuncountable

   Tobacco that people put in the mouth and chew instead of smoking.

   He kept a tin of chew in his back pocket.

   The old rancher always preferred chew to cigarettes.

   Similarchaw, dip

7. 7
   nouncountable

   A lump of chewing tobacco that you hold in your mouth.

   He tucked a chew into his cheek before the game.

   She spat out the spent chew and reached for another.

   Similarchaw, plug, quid, wad

8. 8
   nouncountable or uncountable

   How chewy a food feels when you bite into it.

   Like the firm, bouncy feel of fresh bread.

   This bread has a nice chew to it.

   The pasta lost its chew after sitting out too long.

   Similartexture, bite

9. 9
   nouncolloquialuncountable

   Damage that looks like something has been torn or ground up.

   The gears left a nasty chew on the edge of the belt.

   You could see the chew where the chain had grabbed the wood.

   Similarwear, damage

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