Hew \Hew\, v. t. [imp. Hewed; p. p. Hewed or Hewn; p. pr.
& vb. n. Hewing.]
[AS. he['a]wan; akin to D. houwen, OHG.
houwan, G. hauen, Icel. h["o]ggva, Sw. hugga, Dan. hugge,
Lith. kova battle, Russ. kovate to hammer, forge. Cf. Hay
cut grass, Hoe.]
1. To cut with an ax; to fell with a sharp instrument; --
often with down, or off. --Shak.
2. To form or shape with a sharp instrument; to cut; hence,
to form laboriously; -- often with out; as, to hew out a
sepulcher.
Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn. --Is. li. 1.
Rather polishing old works than hewing out new.
--Pope.
3. To cut in pieces; to chop; to hack.
Hew them to pieces; hack their bones asunder.
--Shak.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
|