verb B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

chew

choo

Chew (verb) means to repeatedly bite and grind food with the teeth before swallowing. Example: “Chew your food properly before you swallow it.”

verb

To repeatedly bite and grind food with the teeth before swallowing.

"Chew your food properly before you swallow it."

"The dog chewed happily on its bone."

Informal: to think something over carefully.

"Let me chew on that idea overnight before I decide."

noun

A soft sweet, or a small toy or treat meant to be chewed.

"She gave the puppy a rubber chew to keep it busy."

How to Use Chew

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo grind food with your teeth, or informally, to mull something over in your mind.

Common mistake

"Chew on" something (an idea) is figurative for thinking about it, not literal chewing.

Common pairings

chew food chew over chew gum chew toy

Word Forms

chewed past tense, chewn past tense, chews plural, Chews plural, chews singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____ your food properly before you swallow it.

Etymology

From Old English ceowan, part of an old Germanic word family shared with Dutch kauwen and German kauen, going back to a very old root meaning "to grind" or "gnaw."

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for chew

phew whew nephew cashew Mathew Mayhew Matthew

See all rhymes for chew →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “chew” mean?

The word “chew” means to repeatedly bite and grind food with the teeth before swallowing. In plain terms, to grind food with your teeth, or informally, to mull something over in your mind.

How do you pronounce “chew”?

“Chew” is pronounced choo (/t͡ʃ(j)u/ in IPA).

How do you use “chew” in a sentence?

Here is “chew” used in a sentence: “Chew your food properly before you swallow it.”

What part of speech is “chew”?

Depending on how it is used, “chew” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “chew” come from?

The word “chew” comes from Old English. From Old English ceowan, part of an old Germanic word family shared with Dutch kauwen and German kauen, going back to a very old root meaning "to grind" or "gnaw.".

Is “chew” a common word?

“Chew” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “chew” have?

“Chew” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to repeatedly bite and grind food with the teeth before swallowing.