chaw

Meaning

Noun

1. That which is chewed.
2. (informal) Chewing tobacco.

Verb

1. To chew; grind with one's teeth; to masticate (food, or the cud).
2. (obsolete) To ruminate (about) in thought; to ponder; to consider
3. (slang) To steal.
4. To be sulky.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/t͡ʃɔ/

Etymology

From Middle English chawen, an unexplained variation of chewen (“to chew”). See chew for more. Cognate with Middle Dutch cauwen ("to chew"; whence Dutch kauwen), obsolete Dutch kauw (“the act of chewing, that which is chewed, chewed mass, wad of tobacco”), Middle Low German kauwen, kauen (“to chew”). Compare also Old English ġecow (“that which is chewed, food”) and *ġeċēow (“chewing”), whence Middle English icheu (“gnawing, biting”).