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| gnaw [ naw ] (past and past participle gnawed, present participle gnaw·ing, 3rd person present singular gnaws) |
verb |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb chew at something: to chew or bite on something persistently, often reducing it gradually to a particular state
  a terrier gnawing away at a huge bone
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2. transitive verb make something by chewing: to make something by grinding with the teeth and chewing
The hamster escaped by gnawing a hole in its cage.
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3. intransitive verb cause worry: to cause somebody constant anxiety or distress
That question still gnaws at me after all these years.
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4. intransitive verb gradually reduce: to reduce the effectiveness or influence of something bit by bit
a profound sense of unease that gnaws at our sense of well-being
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5. transitive verb erode something: to wear something away often until it reaches a particular shape or size
The wind and waves had gnawed the rocks into fantastic shapes.
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| [ Old English gnagen< Germanic] |
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| gnaw noun |
| gnaw·a·ble adjective |
| gnaw·er noun |
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