hew
verb
\ ˈhyü
\
\
hewed;
hewed
or hewn\ ˈhyün
\;
hewing
\;
hewing
Definition of hew
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: to cut with blows of a heavy cutting instrument
roughly hewn logs
2
: to cut down by blows of an ax
hew a tree
3
: to give form or shape to with or as if with heavy cutting blows
hewed their farms from the wilderness— J. T. Shotwell
1
: to make cutting blows (as with an ax)
HEW
abbreviationDefinition of HEW (Entry 2 of 2)
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
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Examples of hew in a Sentence
Verb
They hewed logs to build a cabin. The walls are built of stones hewn by skilled craftsmen.Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
In Shaheen’s case, Trump stayed silent, hewing to his practice of not criticizing the Kremlin. — Emily Tamkin, The New Republic, "Ilhan Omar Is Already Changing Washington," 16 Aug. 2019 His politics hew closely to a baby-boomer outline, which is to say that they are deeply felt, heraldically blue, and largely incoherent just beneath the surface. — Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, "Was the Automotive Era a Terrible Mistake?," 22 July 2019 Some sense of its distinctiveness also arises from the photographs of churches and monasteries, both at the show and in the sumptuous catalog, looking as if hewed from rugged landscapes of mountain, rock and sea. — Edward Rothstein, WSJ, "‘Armenia!’ Review: Exploring the First Christian Nation," 29 Sep. 2018 The incremental healthcare strategy pushed by the moderates hews more closely to the country’s political tradition. — Noam N. Levey, Los Angeles Times, "News Analysis: Democrats ask if Americans are ready to give up job-based health coverage," 2 Aug. 2019 The statement hewed closely to Pelosi's previous comments about the impeachment question, including her remarks at her final weekly press conference before the House departed for its August recess. — NBC News, "Majority of House Democrats now support Trump impeachment inquiry," 2 Aug. 2019 American media followed the lead of their colleagues in France, hewing to the narrative of country-bumpkin savages gone berserk. — Christopher Ketcham, Harper's magazine, "A Play with No End," 22 July 2019 Warren skillfully hewed to a moderate course while still sounding like a solid progressive. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "Elizabeth Warren proved she’s ready for the big show," 27 June 2019 The new Lion King hews closely to the original’s script; Disney teased the overlaps with a trailer that replicated the early-’90s promotional video shot for shot. — Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, "The Uncanny Fun of the Live-Action Lion King," 11 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hew.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for hew
hew
verb
English Language Learners Definition of hew
: to shape (something) by cutting with a sharp tool (such as an ax)
See the full definition for hew in the English Language Learners Dictionary
hew
verb
\ ˈhyü
\
\
hewed
or hewn\ ˈhyün \;
hewing
Kids Definition of hew
1
: to chop down
hew trees
2
: to shape by cutting with an ax
hew logs
HEW
abbreviationMedical Definition of HEW
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
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