hew

v., hewed, hewn (hyūn), or hewed, hew·ing, hews.

v.tr.

1. To make or shape with or as if with an ax: hew a path through the underbrush.
2. To cut down with an ax; fell: hew an oak.
3. To strike or cut; cleave.

v.intr.

1. To cut something by repeated blows, as of an ax.
2. To adhere or conform strictly; hold: hew to the line.

[Middle English hewen, from Old English hēawan.]

hewer hew'er n.

verb

To bring down, as with a saw or ax: chop down, cut (down), fell¹. See rise/fall.

IN BRIEF: To chop or cut with an ax or similar tool.

And many strokes, though with a little axe, Hew down and fell the hardest-timbered oak. — William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Tutor's tip: The "ewe" (a female sheep) said "whew" (sound of dismay or relief) when she saw the "hue" (a color or tint) of the farmer's face as he started to "hew" (to chop/shape) the wood of a large "yew" (an evergreen tree). What would "you" have said?

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The verb has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: make or shape as with an axe
  Synonym: hew out

Meaning #2: strike with an axe; cut down, strike
  Also see: hew out (meaning #1)

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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - hugge, udhugge, bryde
v. intr. - tilpasse sig, rette sig ind efter

abbr. - (department of) Health Education and Welfare

Nederlands (Dutch)
houwen, hakken, vellen

Français (French)
v. tr. - abattre, tailler, être gravé dans, se tailler (un chemin)
v. intr. - se conformer à qch

abbr. - (abrév = Department of Health, Education and Welfare) (US) Département de l'Éducation, la Santé et l'Aide sociale

Deutsch (German)
v. - hauen

abbr. - (USA) Ministerium für Gesundheit, Erziehung und Sozialhilfe (1953-79)

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - πελεκώ, λαξεύω, δενδροτομώ, φτιάχνω πελεκώντας, ανοίγω με κόπο
n. - κόψιμο

Italiano (Italian)
spaccare, fendere

Português (Portuguese)
v. - cortar, derrubar (com machado), talhar, conformar

Русский (Russian)
рубить, прорубать, тесать

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - cortar, labrar, talar, tallar
v. intr. - cortar, labrar, talar, tallar

abbr. - Sigla del Departamento de Salud, Educación y Bienestar Social

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - hugga, hålla sig till
n. - huggande

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
卫生教育和福利部

砍, 劈, 劈出, 砍成, 开辟, 坚持, 遵守

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
abbr. - 衛生教育和福利部

v. tr. - 砍, 劈, 劈出, 砍成, 開闢
v. intr. - 砍, 劈, 堅持, 遵守

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - (도끼 등으로) 패다, 쪼개어 만들다
v. intr. - (도끼 등으로) 자르다, 고집하다

abbr. - Health, Education and Welfare (보건 교육 후생성)

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 切る, 切って作る, 叩き切る

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يقطع بفأس, ألخ, ينحت, ينجر, يشق, يحفر, يلتزم أو يعمل وفق كذا (الاسم) الشخص الذي يقطع بفأس, ألخ وبخاصه العامل الذي يقطع الفحم بفأسه في المنجم‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮קיצץ, כרת, שיסף, חצב, פיסל, חקק‬
v. intr. - ‮התאים (למקובל), היכה קשה‬
abbr. - ‮מחלקת הבריאות, החינוך והרווחה (ארה"ב)‬

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Hew C8061x