chewing

chew  (ch)

v. chewed, chew·ing, chews

v.tr.

1. To bite and grind with the teeth; masticate.

2. To meditate on; ponder: chew a problem over.

v.intr.

1. To make a crushing and grinding motion with the teeth.

2. To cogitate; meditate: chewed on the difficulties ahead.

3. Informal To use chewing tobacco.

n.

1. The act of chewing.

2. Something held in the mouth and chewed, especially a plug of tobacco. See Regional Note at chaw.

Phrasal Verb:

chew out Slang

To reprimand; scold.

Idioms:

chew the cud Slang

To ponder over; meditate.

chew the fat/rag Slang

To talk together in a friendly, leisurely way; chat at length.

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[Middle English cheuen, from Old English cowan.]

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chewa·ble adj.

chewer n.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

chewing - biting and grinding food in your mouth so it becomes soft enough to swallow mastication, chew, manduction change of state - the act of changing something into something different in essential characteristics chomping - the act of chewing noisily gumming, mumbling - ineffectual chewing (as if without teeth) rumination - (of ruminants) chewing (the cud); "ruminants have remarkable powers of rumination" eating, feeding - the act of consuming food