Definition of gnaw Gnaw

/nɔˈ/ - [no] - gnaw

We found 11 definitions of gnaw from 6 different sources.

What does gnaw mean?

Verb gnaws, gnawing, gnawed
gnaw - bite or chew on with the teeth; "gnaw an old cracker"
		chew, manducate, masticate, jaw chew (food); to bite and grind with the teeth; "He jawed his bubble gum"; "Chew your food and don't swallow it!"; "The cows were masticating the grass"
		seize with teeth, bite penetrate or cut, as with a knife; "The fork bit into the surface"
gnaw - become ground down or deteriorate; "Her confidence eroded"
		erode, gnaw at, eat at, wear away
		dilapidate, crumble, decay bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin by neglect or misuse

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gnaw (v. t.)
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.
gnaw (v. t.)
To bite in agony or rage.
gnaw (v. t.)
To corrode; to fret away; to waste.
gnaw (v. i.)
To use the teeth in biting; to bite with repeated effort, as in eating or removing with the teethsomething hard, unwiedly, or unmanageable.

gnaw
naw, v.t. to bite so as to make a noise with the teeth: to bite off by degrees: to corrode or wear away: to bite in agony or rage: (fig.) to torment.—v.i. to use the teeth in biting.—n. Gnaw′er, a rodent. [A.S. gnagan; cf. Dut. knagen, Ice. naga, prov. Eng. nag, to tease.]

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gnaw in sign language