gnaw

/nɔː/ (bre, ipa) · /nɔː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnȯ/ (ame, mw)

gnaw — verb

  • gnawpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • gnawshe / she / it
  • gnawedpast simple
  • gnawing-ing form

1. to keep biting and chewing something hard, especially in a way that gradually da

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to keep biting and chewing something hard, especially in a way that gradually damages it or makes a hole in it

例句

Hannah's puppy spent the afternoon gnawing on an old shoe in the garden.

gnaw on + noun: typical pattern for animals

The mouse gnawed a tiny hole right through the cardboard box in the pantry.

gnaw a hole through something

同義詞
  • chew

    more general — any repeated biting without necessarily damaging the object

  • nibble

    gentler and slower, taking very small bites

  • bite into

    a single action rather than repeated chewing

文法句型

gnaw + noun (bone, hole)

gnaw + through + noun

gnaw + at/on + noun

用法筆記

Often used with through, at, or on to describe what is being bitten. The object is almost always something hard such as wood, bone, or plastic.

常見錯誤

❌The puppy gnawed softly on a pillow.
✅The puppy gnawed on a hard rubber toy.
💡gnawing is for hard objects that can be damaged by biting, not soft things.

2. if an unpleasant feeling, doubt, or thought gnaws at you, it keeps making you fe

2.動詞不及物B2
釋義

if an unpleasant feeling, doubt, or thought gnaws at you, it keeps making you feel worried or uncomfortable over a long period of time

例句

A strange feeling of worry gnawed at Amelia's chest during the entire flight home.

gnaw at somebody: figurative for emotional pain

The thought that Adila had forgotten something important kept gnawing at her mind all day.

keep + gnawing at someone's mind

同義詞
  • trouble

    broader and less intense — can apply to any problem, small or large

  • haunt

    stronger — a memory or thought returns again and again, often painfully

  • nag

    more informal — like a small worry that keeps coming back

反義詞
  • ease

    to make a bad feeling go away or become less strong

文法句型

gnaw + at + person

gnaw + away + at + person

thought/feeling + gnaw + at + person

用法筆記

Almost always used with the preposition at. The subject is usually an abstract noun such as doubt, guilt, worry, fear, jealousy, or uncertainty. Frequently used in the continuous form (was gnawing / has been gnawing).

常見錯誤

❌The loud noise gnawed at me.
✅The constant uncertainty gnawed at me.
💡gnaw (figurative) describes internal feelings or thoughts, not external sounds or physical sensations.