Gnaw

Pronunciation

• IPA: /nɔː/
• Rhymes: -ɔː
• Homophones: nor (in non-rhotic accent)

Origin

From Old English gnagan, from Proto-Germanic *gnaganÄ…. Cognate with Dutch knagen, German nagen, Swedish gnaga.

Full definition of gnaw

Verb

1. (transitive) To bite something persistently, especially something tough.The dog gnawed the bone until it broke in two.
2. (intransitive) To produce excessive anxiety or worry.Her comment gnawed at me all day and I couldn't think about anything else.
3. To corrode; to fret away; to waste.

Derived terms

• gnawer
• gnawable

Anagrams

• Ngwa, wang, Wang