gnaw

Definition

To bite something persistently, especially something tough.

Etymology

From Middle English gnawen, gnaȝen, from Old English gnagan, from Proto-West Germanic *gnagan, from Proto-Germanic *gnaganą (“to gnaw”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *gʰnēgʰ- (“to gnaw, scratch”). Cognate with Dutch knagen, German nagen, Danish gnave (“to gnaw”), Norwegian Bokmål gnage, Norwegian Nynorsk gnaga, Swedish gnaga.

Example Sentences

• "The dog gnawed the bone until it broke in two."
• "Ten thousand men that fishes gnaw'd upon"
• "Her comment gnawed at me all day and I couldn't think about anything else."

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