Gnaw - English meaning

verb

(of a person or animal) use the teeth to cut into or through something.

Usage examples:

He bit off a piece of cheese

noun

An act of biting something in order to eat it.

Usage examples:

Stephen ate a hot dog in three big bites

verb

To grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws

verb

Take the trouble to do something.

Usage examples:

Scientists rarely bother with such niceties

noun

Effort, trouble, or difficulty.

Usage examples:

He saved me the bother of having to come up with a speech

exclamation

Used to express mild irritation or impatience.

Usage examples:

‘bother!’ she muttered

noun

A load, typically a heavy one.

Usage examples:

And laying my heavy burden in the safe hands of the luggage compartment i went to my seat and was g…

verb

Load heavily.

Usage examples:

She walked forwards burdened with a wooden box

noun

A duty or responsibility that is hard to bear

Usage examples:

I don’t want to be a burden on my children., he was burdened with debts.

verb

(of a horse) make a noisy biting or chewing action.

Usage examples:

The sound behind him of the horses champing and snorting and the carriage creaking propelled him re…

noun

A biting or chewing action.

noun

A champion.

Usage examples:

He showed the style that was to turn him into a world champ

verb

Bite and work (food) in the mouth with the teeth, especially to make it easier to swallow.

Usage examples:

He was chewing a mouthful of toast

noun

A repeated biting or gnawing of something.

Usage examples:

The dog was enjoying a quiet chew of his bone

verb

Munch or chew noisily or vigorously.

Usage examples:

She chomped on a roll

noun

A chewing noise or action.

Usage examples:

Colorful bands on a butterfly's wing provide camouflage among leaves and flowers, of course, but th…

verb

Nibble; chew.

Usage examples:

She was chumbling cake

verb

Crush (a hard or brittle foodstuff) with the teeth, making a loud but muffled grinding sound.

Usage examples:

She paused to crunch a ginger biscuit

noun

A loud muffled grinding sound like that of something hard or brittle being crushed.

Usage examples:

Marco's fist struck brian's nose with a crunch

verb

To crush hard food loudly between the teeth, or to make a sound as if something is being crushed or broken

Usage examples:

[ i ] she was crunching noisily on an apple., [ i ] the gravel crunched underfoot as we walked up t…

noun

Extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain.

Usage examples:

To his distress he saw that she was trembling

verb

Another term for distraint.

noun

Great mental or physical suffering, such as extreme anxiety, sadness, or pain, or the state of being in danger or urgent need

Usage examples:

Emotional/financial distress, four men were rescued from a fishing boat in distress off the coast.,…

noun

Activity requiring physical effort, carried out to sustain or improve health and fitness.

Usage examples:

Exercise improves your heart and lung power

verb

Use or apply (a faculty, right, or process).

Usage examples:

Control is exercised by the board

verb

(of a wound or sore) become septic; suppurate.

Usage examples:

I developed a tropical sore that festered badly

verb

(of an injury such as a cut) to become infected and form pus (= thick yellow liquid)

Usage examples:

It was better that she expressed her anger rather than let it fester inside her.

verb

Be constantly or visibly anxious.

Usage examples:

She fretted about the cost of groceries

noun

A state of anxiety.

Usage examples:

Why would anyone get themselves in a fret over something so simple?

verb

Decorate with fretwork.

Usage examples:

A botanically inspired ornamental pattern frets the ceiling

phrasal verb

If a threat or doubt hangs over a place or a situation, it exists

Usage examples:

Uncertainty again hangs over the project.

verb

Persistently carry out attacks on (an enemy or an enemy's territory).

Usage examples:

The raiders then spent three months harrying and burning the area

verb

To repeatedly demand something from someone, often causing them to feel worried or angry

Usage examples:

She harried the authorities, writing letters and gathering petitions.

verb

(of a ghost) manifest itself at (a place) regularly.

Usage examples:

A grey lady who haunts the chapel

noun

A place frequented by a specified person.

Usage examples:

The bar was a favourite haunt of artists of the time

verb

To often appear somewhere, or to appear to someone in the form of a ghost (= spirit of a dead person)

Usage examples:

His experiences in vietnam still haunt him., this restaurant was one of our old haunts.

verb

Chew or eat.

Usage examples:

She fell upon the wretched vegetable and manducated it

verb

Chew (food).

Usage examples:

Dentition affects how well food is masticated and absorbed

verb

To chew (= crush with the teeth) food

verb

Eat (something) steadily and often audibly.

Usage examples:

Russell munched his breakfast toast

verb

To eat something with a loud chewing sound, or to snack (= eat a small amount of food between meals)

Usage examples:

[ i ] he was munching on an apple.

verb

Harass (someone) constantly to do something that they are averse to.

Usage examples:

She constantly nags her daughter about getting married

noun

A person who nags someone.

Usage examples:

We don't want to be perceived as nags or, worse still, incompetent.

noun

A horse, especially one that is old or in poor health.

Usage examples:

The old nag the lad fetched smelled sweaty

verb

Take small bites out of.

Usage examples:

He nibbled a biscuit

noun

An act or instance of nibbling.

Usage examples:

I'm distracted by a nibble on my line

verb

To eat something by taking a lot of small bites

Usage examples:

[ t ] ben stopped nibbling his apple., [ i ] keep vegetables handy to nibble on., [ t ] fish were n…

verb

Cause slight but persistent annoyance, discomfort, or anxiety.

Usage examples:

Doreen wanted to discuss matters that niggled at her mind

noun

A trivial criticism, discomfort, or annoyance.

Usage examples:

It is an excellent book except for my few niggles

verb

To worry someone slightly, usually for a long time

Usage examples:

I just can't remember his name - it's been niggling me for a couple of weeks., one thought kept nig…

verb

Keep (someone) in subjection and hardship, especially by the unjust exercise of authority.

Usage examples:

A system which oppressed working people

verb

To govern people in an unfair and cruel way and prevent them from having opportunities and freedom

Usage examples:

In his speech he spoke against those who continue to oppress the poor., he's feeling oppressed by t…

noun

A contagious bacterial disease characterized by fever and delirium, typically with the formation of buboes (bubonic plague) and sometimes infection of the lungs (pneumonic plague).

Usage examples:

Person-to-person spread of bubonic or septicemic plague does not occur; however, pneumonic plague i…

verb

A contagious bacterial disease characterized by fever and delirium, typically with the formation of buboes ( bubonic plague ) and sometimes infection of the lungs ( pneumonic plague ).

verb

To cause someone or something difficulty or suffering, esp. repeatedly or continually

Usage examples:

Financial problems have been plaguing the company., that pain in my shoulder is plaguing me again.,…

verb

Pull (something) apart or to pieces with force.

Usage examples:

I tore up the letter

noun

A hole or split in something caused by it having been pulled apart forcefully.

Usage examples:

There was a tear in her dress

verb

(of the eye) produce tears.

Usage examples:

The freezing wind made her eyes tear

noun

Severe physical or mental suffering.

Usage examples:

Their deaths have left both families in torment

verb

Cause to experience severe mental or physical suffering.

Usage examples:

He was tormented by jealousy

noun

Great mental or physical suffering, or something that causes such pain

Usage examples:

[ u ] after three days of torment, she went to a dentist., [ c ] that child acts like it’s a tormen…

noun

The action or practice of inflicting severe pain or suffering on someone as a punishment or in order to force them to do or say something.

Usage examples:

The torture of political prisoners

verb

Inflict severe pain or suffering on.

Usage examples:

Most of the victims had been brutally tortured

noun

An injury or severe mental pain

Usage examples:

[ c ] all drivers suffer the tortures of traffic and bad weather., [ u ] the museum has many exampl…

noun

Difficulty or problems.

Usage examples:

I had trouble finding somewhere to park

verb

Cause distress or anxiety to.

Usage examples:

He was not troubled by doubts

noun

A problem, or difficulties

Usage examples:

[ u ] trouble began when he came to live with us., [ c ] she thought her troubles would be over whe…

verb

Feel or cause to feel anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems.

Usage examples:

He worried about his soldier sons in the war

noun

The state of being anxious and troubled over actual or potential problems.

Usage examples:

He's demented with worry

verb

To think about problems or unpleasant things that make you anxious, or to make someone feel anxious

Usage examples:

[ i ] if you get a monthly train ticket, you won’t have to worry about buying a ticket every day., …