Gnaw

Definition of Gnaw

Pronunciation: nạ

v. t.	1.	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. [imp. & p. p. Gnawed (nạd); p. pr. & vb. n. Gnawing.] His bones clean picked; his very bones they gnaw. - Dryden.
	2.	To bite in agony or rage. They gnawed their tongues for pain. - Rev. xvi. 10.
	3.	To corrode; to fret away; to waste.
	4.	To trouble in a constant manner; to plague; to worry; to vex; - usually used with at; as, his mounting debts gnawed at him.
v. i.	1.	To use the teeth in biting; to bite with repeated effort, as in eating or removing with the teeth something hard, unwieldy, or unmanageable. I might well, like the spaniel, gnaw upon the chain that ties me. - Sir P. Sidney.

Related Words

ablate, abrade, abrase, afflict, agonize, ail, annoy, badger, bark, bedevil, beleaguer, bite, bother, burn, canker, chafe, champ, chaw, chew the cud, chew up, chomp, consume, convulse, corrode, crucify, crumble, cut, devour, distress, eat away, eat into, erase, erode, excruciate, fester, file, fray, frazzle, fret, gall, give pain, gnaw away, grate, graze, gripe, gum, harass, harrow, harry, haunt, hector, hurt, inflame, inflict pain, irk, irritate, kill by inches, lacerate, martyr, martyrize, masticate, mouth, mumble, munch, nag, nettle, nibble, nibble away, nip, oxidize, pain, peeve, pester, pierce, pinch, plague, prick, prolong the agony, put to torture, rack, rankle, rasp, raze, rub, rub away, rub off, rub out, ruminate, rust, scour, scrape, scrub, scuff, skin, stab, sting, tease, torment, torture, trouble, tweak, twist, vex, wear, wear away, wear down, worry, wound, wring

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