Meaning

(countable) That which is chewed..

Definitions by Sense

1. (countable) That which is chewed.
2. (Appalachia, informal, uncountable) Chewing tobacco.
3. (archaic or nonstandard outside dialects, e.g. Appalachia, Southern US) To chew; grind with one's teeth; to masticate (food, or the cud).
4. (obsolete, transitive) To ruminate (about) in thought; to ponder; to consider.
5. (UK, slang) To steal.
6. (dialectal, intransitive) To be sulky.
7. (obsolete) The jaw.
8. Obsolete form of cha (“tea”).

Example Sentences

When the doctor told him to quit smoking, Harvey switched to chaw, but then developed cancer of the mouth.

"YOU give him a chaw, did you? So did your sister's cat's grandmother. You pay me back the chaws you've awready borry'd off'n me, Lafe Buckner, then I'll loan you one or two ton of it, and won't charge you no back intrust, nuther."

He […] went into the store and behind the counter and reached up and got the plug of chewing tobacco and unwrapped it and bit off a chaw.

Henry paused to see what kind of effect his words were having, but Red’s face was expressionless; all Henry could see was his jaw tensing rhythmically as he worked on his chaw.

The trampling steede, with gold and purple trapt,

And next to him malicious Envy rode, Upon a ravenous wolfe, and still did chaw Betweene his cankred teeth a venemous tode […]

The Man who laugh'd but once, to see an Ass Mumbling to make the cross-grained Thistles pass, Might laugh again, to see a Jury chaw The prickles of unpalatable Law.

[…] the king he set down and twisted his head to one side, and chawed his tongue, and scrawled off something […]

Word Forms

• chaws
• chawing
• chawed

Synonyms for chaw

Related Words

When Should You Use Chaw?

Use chaw when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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