Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

Definition of chew verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

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chew

verb
chew pronunciation English tʃuː chew pronunciation American tʃuː
 
1 [intransitive, transitive] to bite food into small pieces in your mouth with your teeth to make it easier to swallowchew (at/on/through something) After the operation you may find it difficult to chew and swallow.chew something (up) teeth designed for chewing meatHe is always chewing gum.2 [intransitive, transitive] to bite something continuously, for example because you are nervous or to taste itchew on something Rosa chewed on her lip and stared at the floor.The dog was chewing on a bone.chew something to chew your nails
Idioms

chew the fat

(informal) to have a long friendly talk with somebody about somethingRandall stayed chewing the fat for a while.They met up once a year to chew the fat about the old days.
 more at bite off more than you can chew at bite verb
Phrasal verbs

chew somebody out

(North American English, informal) to tell somebody angrily that you do not approve of their actionsHe got chewed out by the boss for lying.The coach used to chew us out every day.I thought she was going to chew us out.

chew something over

to think about or discuss something slowly and carefully