chew

UK: /ˈtʃuː/ US: /tʃu/ ,(cho̅o̅)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

chew /tʃu/   v. 

1. to crush or grind (something) with the teeth: [~ + object]
   She was chewing gum.
   [no object]
   Don't chew with your mouth open.
2. to tear or mangle, as if by chewing: [~ + up + object]
   The sorting machine chewed up the letters.
   [~ + object + up]
   The machine just chewed them up.
3. [~ + object] to make by or as if by chewing:
   The puppy chewed a hole in the rug.
4. to think about;
   meditate on;
   consider at length: [~ + object (+ over)]
   to chew a problem over in one's mind.
   [ ~ (+ over) + obj]:
   The more you chew over this problem, the worse it will seem.
   [~ + on + object]
   He chewed on it briefly, then spoke up.
5. chew out, Slang. to scold harshly: [~ + out + object]
   The boss chewed out the sales manager.
   [~ + object + out]
   She really chewed him out for that.

n. [countable]

6. an act or instance of chewing.
7. something chewed or intended for chewing:
   a little chew of candy.

Idioms

8. Idioms, Informal Terms chew the fat or rag,[Informal.] to converse in a relaxed or aimless manner;
   chat.

chew•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

chew  (cho̅o̅), v.t. 

1. to crush or grind with the teeth;
   masticate.
2. to crush, damage, injure, etc., as if by chewing (often fol. by up):
   The faulty paper feeder chewed the letters up.
3. to make by or as if by chewing:
   The puppy chewed a hole in my slipper.
4. to meditate on;
   consider deliberately (often fol. by over):
   He chewed the problem over in his mind.

v.i. 

5. to perform the act of crushing or grinding with the teeth.
6. Informal Terms to chew tobacco.
7. to meditate.
8. chew out, [Slang.] to scold harshly:
   The sergeant chewed out the recruits.
9. Informal Terms, Idioms chew the fat, to converse at length in a relaxed manner;
   chat:
   They liked to sit around chewing the fat.
   Also, chew the rag. 

n. 

10. an act or instance of chewing.
11. something chewed or intended for chewing:
    a chew of tobacco; taffy chews.

• bef. 1000; Middle English chewen, Old English cēowan; cognate with Old High German kiuwan (German kauen)

chew′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

chew / tʃuː/ verb

1. to work the jaws and teeth in order to grind (food); masticate
2. to bite repeatedly: she chewed her nails anxiously
3. (intransitive) to use chewing tobacco
4. chew the fat, chew the rag ⇒ to argue over a point
5. to talk idly; gossip

noun

1. the act of chewing
2. something that is chewed

Etymology: Old English ceowan; related to Old High German kiuwan, Dutch kauwen, Latin gingīva a gum

ˈchewable adjective

ˈchewer noun