hew

/hju/

/hju/

Other forms: hewed; hewing; hews

If you're a lumberjack, the word hew is nothing new. You hew things every day with one swift swing of the axe, chopping and shaping wood.

It's said that Paul Bunyan hewed the Grand Canyon by dragging his giant mythical axe behind him. But usually things are hewn with a little more purpose — with each chop and cut designed to shape, sculpt, or craft a final product. Take the axe out of the picture though, and this word takes on a different meaning. If you're trying to adhere to rules, stick to a budget, or conform to a certain tradition, you can use hew, too.

Definitions of hew

1. verb

   make or shape as with an axe
   “hew out a path in the rock”

   synonyms: hew out

   types:

   rough-hew, roughcast

   hew roughly, without finishing the surface

   type of:

   carve

   form by carving
2. verb

   strike with an axe; cut down, strike
   “hew an oak”

   types:

   snag

   hew jaggedly

   type of:

   strike, zonk

   deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
3. verb

   be compatible or in accordance with
   synonyms: adhere

   type of:

   agree, check, correspond, fit, gibe, jibe, match, tally

   be compatible, similar, or consistent; coincide in their characteristics