— hewable , adj. — hewer , n.
/hyooh/ or, often, /yooh/ , v. , hewed, hewed or hewn, hewing .
v.t.
1. to strike forcibly with an ax, sword, or other cutting instrument; chop; hack.
2. to make, shape, smooth, etc., with cutting blows: to hew a passage through the crowd; to hew a statue from marble.
3. to sever (a part) from a whole by means of cutting blows (usually fol. by away, off, out, from, etc.): to hew branches from the tree.
4. to cut down; fell: to hew wood; trees hewed down by the storm.
v.i.
5. to strike with cutting blows; cut: He hewed more vigorously each time.
6. to uphold, follow closely, or conform (usually fol. by to ): to hew to the tenets of one's political party.
[ bef. 900; ME hewen, OE heawan; c. G hauen, ON hoggva; akin to HAGGLE ]
Syn. 1. See cut. 2. form.