hew

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /hjuː/ UK /hjuː/ See IPA manual

Homophones

whew /hjuː/

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to cut or shape something with a tool such as an axe

They hewed logs to build the cabin.
2

verb
to conform or adhere to a particular standard or principle

The company must hew to the new regulations.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to cut or shape something... chop carve slice cleave hack

2 verb · to conform or adhere to a... stick tocling tofollowabide byhold to

Opposites

deviate diverge

Word family

Forms hewerhewers

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic hagjaną ('to cut, chop'), via Old English heawan and Middle English hewen, giving Modern English hew ('to cut with a tool').

Topics

Describing Qualities

# hew

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** hjuː
**IPA (UK):** hjuː

## Meanings
1. to cut or shape something with a tool such as an axe
2. to conform or adhere to a particular standard or principle

## Examples
- They hewed logs to build the cabin.
- The company must hew to the new regulations.

## Synonyms
- chop
- carve
- slice
- cleave
- hack
- stick to
- cling to
- follow
- abide by
- hold to

## Antonyms
- deviate
- diverge

## Etymology
From Proto-Germanic hagjaną ('to cut, chop'), via Old English heawan and Middle English hewen, giving Modern English hew ('to cut with a tool').

## AI Etymology
Hew comes from Proto-Germanic hagjaną ('to cut, chop'), via Old English heawan and Middle English hewen, giving Modern English hew ('to cut with a tool'). In current use it is a verb meaning "to cut or shape something with a tool such as an axe". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The history is mainly one of transmission into English, with the older form and sense carried through borrowing or adaptation. For dictionary purposes, the important point is the continuity between the older form, the route into English, and the present lexical sense.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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hew

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