gnaw
Meaning
-
- To bite something persistently, especially something tough.
- To produce excessive anxiety or worry.
- To corrode; to fret away; to waste.
Synonyms
gnaw at
nibble at
eat at
bite out
eat reluctantly
poke with finger
bite at
have a smattering of
be gnawed
pick clean
chew with incisors
make a gnawing noise
Frequency
Pronounced as (IPA)
/nɔː/
Etymology
From Middle English gnawen, gnaȝen, from Old English gnagan, from Proto-Germanic *gnaganą. Cognate with Dutch knagen, German nagen, Norwegian Bokmål gnage, Norwegian Nynorsk gnaga, Swedish gnaga. Probably from Proto-Indo-European *gʰnēgʰ- (“to gnaw, scratch”).
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Notes