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
1
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."
"He likes to chew gum while he walks to work."
2
Informal: to think something over carefully.
"Let me chew on that idea overnight before I decide."
"She needed a few days to chew over the job offer."
"The committee will chew on the proposal and give us an answer on Monday."
noun
1
A soft sweet, or a small toy or treat meant to be chewed.
"She gave the puppy a rubber chew to keep it busy."
"The dog carried its favourite chew around the garden all afternoon."
"These fruit chews come in a bag and stick to your teeth."
How to use chew
Learner’s notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- chews
- Third person singular
- chews
- Past tense
- chewed, chewn
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."
Related words
Rhymes for chew
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.
What is the difference between "chew" and "bite"?
To bite means to use the teeth to cut into or grip something in a single action, while to chew involves repeatedly grinding food with the teeth before swallowing. Chewing is the ongoing process that usually follows an initial bite.
What does it mean to "chew something over"?
"Chew something over" is an informal way of saying to think something over carefully, the way food is worked over slowly by the teeth. It's typically used for decisions or problems that need consideration before acting.
How does the noun "chew" differ from the verb "chew"?
As a noun, a "chew" refers to a soft sweet or a small toy or treat meant to be chewed, such as a dog chew. As a verb, "chew" describes the action of biting and grinding food with the teeth, so the noun and verb forms refer to related but distinct things.
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