Gnawing

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 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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  • gnawing — [nô′iŋ] n. 1. a sensation of dull, constant pain or suffering 2. [pl.] pangs, esp. of hunger …   English World dictionary

  • gnawing — /ˈnɔ ɪŋ/ (say naw ing), /ˈnɔrɪŋ/ (say nawring) noun 1. the act of someone or something that gnaws. 2. a persistent pain suggesting gnawing: the gnawings of hunger. –adjective 3. persistent and debilitating: *The elation of personal triumph gave… …  

  • gnawing — adj. Gnawing is used with these nouns: ↑doubt …   Collocations dictionary

  • gnawing — gnaw|ing [ˈno:ıŋ US ˈno: ] adj [only before noun] worrying or painful, especially for a long time ▪ gnawing doubts …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • gnawing — adjective (only before noun) painful or worrying, especially only slightly but for a long time: gnawing doubts about her own abilities …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • gnawing — [ˈnɔːɪŋ] adj continuously causing you pain or worrying you a gnawing fear that something would happen to her father[/ex] …   Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • gnawing animals — graužikai statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas būrys apibrėžtis Būryje 33 šeimos. atitikmenys: lot. Rodentia angl. gnawing animals; gnawing mammals; rodents; simple toothed rodents; simplicidentates vok. Einfachzähnige; Nager;… …   Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

  • gnawing mammals — graužikai statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas būrys apibrėžtis Būryje 33 šeimos. atitikmenys: lot. Rodentia angl. gnawing animals; gnawing mammals; rodents; simple toothed rodents; simplicidentates vok. Einfachzähnige; Nager;… …   Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

  • gnawing mammal — noun relative large gnawing animals; distinguished from rodents by having two pairs of upper incisors specialized for gnawing • Syn: ↑lagomorph • Hypernyms: ↑placental, ↑placental mammal, ↑eutherian, ↑eutherian mammal • Hyponyms …   Useful english dictionary

  • gnawing — gnawingly, adv. /naw ing/, n. 1. the act of a person or thing that gnaws. 2. Usually, gnawings. persistent, dull pains; pangs: the gnawings of hunger. [1300 50; ME; see GNAW, ING1] * * * …   Universalium

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