hew

¹

[ hyooor, often, yoo ]

verb (used with object)

, hewed, hewed or hewn, hew·ing.

1. to strike forcibly with an ax, sword, or other cutting instrument; chop; hack.
2. to make, shape, smooth, etc., with cutting blows:

   to hew a passage through the crowd; to hew a statue from marble.

   Synonyms: form

3. to sever (a part) from a whole by means of cutting blows (usually followed by away, off, out, from, etc.):

   to hew branches from the tree.

4. to cut down; fell:

   to hew wood; trees hewed down by the storm.

verb (used without object)

, hewed, hewed or hewn, hew·ing.

1. to strike with cutting blows; cut:

   He hewed more vigorously each time.

2. to uphold, follow closely, or conform (usually followed by to ):

   to hew to the tenets of one's political party.

HEW

²

abbreviation for

1. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

HEW

¹

abbreviation for

1. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare

hew

²

/ hjuː /

verb

1. to strike (something, esp wood) with cutting blows, as with an axe
2. troften foll byout to shape or carve from a substance
3. tr; often foll by away, down, from, off, etc to sever from a larger or another portion
4. introften foll byto to conform (to a code, principle, etc)

Derived Forms

• ˈhewer, noun

Other Words From

• hewa·ble adjective
• hewer noun
• un·hewa·ble adjective
• un·hewed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hew¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English hewen, Old English hēawan; cognate with German hauen, Old Norse hǫggva; akin to haggle

Word History and Origins

Origin of hew¹

Old English hēawan; related to Old Norse heggva, Old Saxon hāwa, Old High German houwan, Latin cūdere to beat

Synonym Study

See cut.

Related Words

• cleave