First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
hew
verb \ˈhyü\
: to shape (something) by cutting with a sharp tool (such as an ax)
hewedhewed or hewn \ˈhyün\ hew·ing
Full Definition of HEW
transitive verb
1
: to cut with blows of a heavy cutting instrument
2
: to fell by blows of an ax <hew a tree>
3
: to give form or shape to with or as if with heavy cutting blows <hewed their farms from the wilderness — J. T. Shotwell>
intransitive verb
1
: to make cutting blows
2
: conform, adhere <hew to tradition> —often used in the phrase hew to the line <no pressure … on newspapers to hew to the official line — New York Times Magazine>
— hew·er noun
See hew defined for English-language learners
See hew defined for kids
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Origin of HEW
Middle English, from Old English hēawan; akin to Old High German houwan to hew, Lithuanian kauti to forge, Latin cudere to beat
Related to HEW
- Synonyms
- chop (down), cut (down), fell, mow
Rhymes with HEW
blue, boo, brew, chew, clew, clue, coo, coup, crew, cue, dew, do, doux, due, ewe, few, flu, flue, fou, glue, gnu, goo, hue, Jew, Koo, lieu, loo, mew, moo, moue, mu, new, nu, ooh, pew, phew, pooh, q, queue, roux, rue, screw, shoe, shoo, shrew, Sioux, skew, slew, slough, slue, smew, sou, sous, spew, sprue, stew, strew, sue, Sue, thew, through, to, too, true, two, u, view, whew, who, woo, xu, yew, you, zoo
HEW
abbreviation
Definition of HEW
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
Other Government and Politics Terms
HEW Defined for Kids
hew
verb \ˈhyü\
hewed or hewn \ˈhyün\hew·ing
Definition of HEW for Kids
1
: to chop down <hew trees>
2
: to shape by cutting with an ax <hew logs>
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