Gnawed

Gnawed
Gnaw Gnaw (n[add]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Gnawed} (n[add]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Gnawing}.] [OE. gnawen, AS. gnagan; akin to D. knagen, OHG. gnagan, nagan, G. nagen, Icel. & Sw. gnaga, Dan. gnave, nage. Cf. {Nag} to tease.] 1. To bite, as something hard or tough, which is not readily separated or crushed; to bite off little by little, with effort; to wear or eat away by scraping or continuous biting with the teeth; to nibble at. [1913 Webster]

His bones clean picked; his very bones they gnaw. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

2. To bite in agony or rage. [1913 Webster]

They gnawed their tongues for pain. --Rev. xvi. 10. [1913 Webster]

3. To corrode; to fret away; to waste. [1913 Webster]

4. To trouble in a constant manner; to plague; to worry; to vex; -- usually used with at; as, his mounting debts gnawed at him. [PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • gnawed — nɔː v. nibble, bite, chew; wear away, corrode …   English contemporary dictionary

  • gnawed at him — bothered him, was on his mind, tormented him, ate at him …   English contemporary dictionary

  • bitten down — gnawed away at …   English contemporary dictionary

  • gnaw´er — gnaw «n», verb, gnawed, gnawed or gnawn, gnaw|ing. –v.t. 1. to bite at and wear away: »A mouse has gnawed the cover of this box. 2. to make by biting: »A rat can gnaw a hole through wood …   Useful english dictionary

  • gnaw — gnawable, adj. gnawer, n. /naw/, v., gnawed, gnawed or gnawn, gnawing. v.t. 1. to bite or chew on, esp. persistently. 2. to wear away or remove by persistent biting or nibbling. 3. to form or make by so doing: to gnaw a hole through the wall. 4.… …   Universalium

  • gnaw — UK [nɔː] / US [nɔ] verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms gnaw : present tense I/you/we/they gnaw he/she/it gnaws present participle gnawing past tense gnawed past participle gnawed to keep biting something David gnawed his lip, obviously… …   English dictionary

  • gnaw — [nô] vt. gnawed, gnawed or Rare gnawn, gnawing [ME gnawen < OE gnagen, akin to Ger nagen (OHG gnagan) < IE * ghnēgh < base * ghen , to gnaw away, rub away > GNASH, GNAT] 1. to cut, bite, and wear away bit by bit with the teeth 2. to… …   English World dictionary

  • Gnaw — (n[add]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Gnawed} (n[add]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Gnawing}.] [OE. gnawen, AS. gnagan; akin to D. knagen, OHG. gnagan, nagan, G. nagen, Icel. & Sw. gnaga, Dan. gnave, nage. Cf. {Nag} to tease.] 1. To bite, as something hard or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Gnawing — Gnaw Gnaw (n[add]), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Gnawed} (n[add]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Gnawing}.] [OE. gnawen, AS. gnagan; akin to D. knagen, OHG. gnagan, nagan, G. nagen, Icel. & Sw. gnaga, Dan. gnave, nage. Cf. {Nag} to tease.] 1. To bite, as something… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Myomancy — was a method of theriomantic divination by rats or mice, which may be alluded to in Isaiah 66:17. Their particular cries or some marked devastation committed by them was taken for a prognostication of evil. Ælain relates that Fabius Maximus… …   Wikipedia

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