Hew
verb
To cut or chop with strong, heavy blows.
The woodcutter hews the tree with an axe.
Often appears as...
- hew down
- hew out
verb
To shape or carve from a material.
He hewed a small sculpture for me from a block of wood.
Often appears as...
- hew into shape
- hew into form
verb
To comply or conform strictly to something.
He promised to hew to the company policies strictly.
Often appears as...
- hew to the line
- hew to the rules
Usage tips
Approving
verb
To cut or chop with strong, heavy blows.
The woodcutter hews the tree with an axe.
Often appears as...
- hew down
- hew out
verb
To shape or carve from a material.
He hewed a small sculpture for me from a block of wood.
Often appears as...
- hew into shape
- hew into form
verb
To comply or conform strictly to something.
He promised to hew to the company policies strictly.
Often appears as...
- hew to the line
- hew to the rules
Usage tips
Approving
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Action
Used when describing a physical action requiring effort and strength, often outdoors.
Farmers hewed a new path through the bushes.
Pro Tip 2/3Historical Use
Historically linked to woodcutting and carving, evoking a sense of tradition and manual labor.
Villagers would hew firewood before winter set in.
Pro Tip 3/3Violent Connotations
Can imply a violent or forceful action when used metaphorically.
The general hewed a path of destruction through the enemy lines.
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Action
Used when describing a physical action requiring effort and strength, often outdoors.
Farmers hewed a new path through the bushes.
Pro Tip 2/3Historical Use
Historically linked to woodcutting and carving, evoking a sense of tradition and manual labor.
Villagers would hew firewood before winter set in.
Pro Tip 3/3Violent Connotations
Can imply a violent or forceful action when used metaphorically.
The general hewed a path of destruction through the enemy lines.
Pro Tip 1/3Physical Action
Used when describing a physical action requiring effort and strength, often outdoors.
Farmers hewed a new path through the bushes.
Pro Tip 2/3Historical Use
Historically linked to woodcutting and carving, evoking a sense of tradition and manual labor.
Villagers would hew firewood before winter set in.
Pro Tip 3/3Violent Connotations
Can imply a violent or forceful action when used metaphorically.
The general hewed a path of destruction through the enemy lines.
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Video examples
What is “normal” and...
Applied to individuals, whether someone is considered normal usually depends on how closely they hew to this average. At best, such definitions of normal fail to capture variation. But oftentimes, our calculations of normal are even more flawed.
Video examples
Alex Tabarrok on how...
The world is much better equipped to overcome an increase in the price of oil today, than ever in the past, because of what I'm talking about. One idea, one world, one market. So I'm optimistic so long as we hew to these two
Video examples
Sky Caves of Nepal, Part...
single monastic room at the uppermost level a later edition by religious practitioners these high temple rooms sit atop cave complexes that can have sixty to eighty rooms a high-rise hewn
Video examples
What is “normal” and...
Applied to individuals, whether someone is considered normal usually depends on how closely they hew to this average. At best, such definitions of normal fail to capture variation. But oftentimes, our calculations of normal are even more flawed.
Video examples
Alex Tabarrok on how...
The world is much better equipped to overcome an increase in the price of oil today, than ever in the past, because of what I'm talking about. One idea, one world, one market. So I'm optimistic so long as we hew to these two
Video examples
Sky Caves of Nepal, Part...
single monastic room at the uppermost level a later edition by religious practitioners these high temple rooms sit atop cave complexes that can have sixty to eighty rooms a high-rise hewn
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Stacy Schiff
American Author
The interesting thing about Cleopatra is that she is such a shape-shifter. I mean through history we've all molded her to our times and our places. So there's room for a movie for her, but I don't think it will hew to the book.
Quote examples
Gwen Ifill
American Journalist
By nature, I am someone who hews to the middle. I need to hear all sides of a story. Unless I am engaged in a tough round of dominoes or Scrabble, I think of myself as unreasonably reasonable.
Quote examples
Graydon Carter
American Journalist
Satire works best when it hews close to the line between the outlandish and the possible - and as that line continues to grow thinner, the satirist's task becomes ever more difficult.
Quote examples
Sean Pertwee
English Actor
In Cape Town, there's a drive from Cape Point to Camps Bay where the road is hewn out of the cliffs. It's just stunning, particularly if you do it as the sun is going down.
Quote examples
Arne Jacobsen
Danish Architect
Proportions are what makes the old Greek temples classic in their beauty. They are like huge blocks, from which the air has been literally hewn out between the columns.
Quote examples
Stanley Hauerwas
American Theologian
The very fact that doctrine is hewn from bitter controversy and tested through time is sufficient reason to make them a focus of theology.
Quote examples
Howard Fast
American Novelist
My books were attacked constantly by the Communist Party for not hewing to the Party line. I have never hewed to a Party line of any kind.
Quote examples
Walter Cronkite
American Journalist
On television, I tried to absolutely hew to the middle of the road and not show any prejudice or bias in any way.
Quote examples
Frank Harris
Irish Author
There is a destiny that shapes our ends rough, hew them as we will.
Quote examples
Roscoe Conkling
American Politician
He will hew to the line of right, let the chips fly where they may.
Quote examples
Stacy Schiff
American Author
The interesting thing about Cleopatra is that she is such a shape-shifter. I mean through history we've all molded her to our times and our places. So there's room for a movie for her, but I don't think it will hew to the book.
Quote examples
Gwen Ifill
American Journalist
By nature, I am someone who hews to the middle. I need to hear all sides of a story. Unless I am engaged in a tough round of dominoes or Scrabble, I think of myself as unreasonably reasonable.
Quote examples
Graydon Carter
American Journalist
Satire works best when it hews close to the line between the outlandish and the possible - and as that line continues to grow thinner, the satirist's task becomes ever more difficult.
Quote examples
Sean Pertwee
English Actor
In Cape Town, there's a drive from Cape Point to Camps Bay where the road is hewn out of the cliffs. It's just stunning, particularly if you do it as the sun is going down.
Quote examples
Arne Jacobsen
Danish Architect
Proportions are what makes the old Greek temples classic in their beauty. They are like huge blocks, from which the air has been literally hewn out between the columns.
Quote examples
Stanley Hauerwas
American Theologian
The very fact that doctrine is hewn from bitter controversy and tested through time is sufficient reason to make them a focus of theology.
Quote examples
Howard Fast
American Novelist
My books were attacked constantly by the Communist Party for not hewing to the Party line. I have never hewed to a Party line of any kind.
Quote examples
Walter Cronkite
American Journalist
On television, I tried to absolutely hew to the middle of the road and not show any prejudice or bias in any way.
Quote examples
Frank Harris
Irish Author
There is a destiny that shapes our ends rough, hew them as we will.
Quote examples
Roscoe Conkling
American Politician
He will hew to the line of right, let the chips fly where they may.
Example 1 of 10
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