hew

/hjuː/ (bre, ipa) · [hjˈu] /hjuː/ (ame, ipa) · [hjˈu] /ˈhyü/ (ame, mw)

hew — verb

  • hewpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • hewshe / she / it
  • hewedpast simple
  • hewnpast participle
  • hewing-ing form

1. to cut or shape a hard material such as stone or wood using a heavy tool such as

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to cut or shape a hard material such as stone or wood using a heavy tool such as an axe or chisel, often for construction or carving purposes

例句

Arjun hewed the rough granite into a smooth rectangular block for the foundation.

hew + [material] + into + [shape]

The carpenter spent the morning hewing beams from freshly cut oak logs.

hew + [thing] + from + [source material]

同義詞
  • carve

    softer, more artistic; used for wood or stone with fine detail, not just rough shaping

  • chisel

    also means to cut/shape with a chisel; more specific about the tool used

  • cut

    more general; does not imply the use of a heavy tool or the hardness of the material

反義詞
  • assemble

    to put together rather than cut apart

  • polish

    to smooth and finish rather than rough-cut

文法句型

hew + noun phrase

hew + noun phrase + into/from + noun phrase

用法筆記

Often used in historical or literary contexts to describe pre-industrial construction or stonework. The past participle can be either 'hewed' or 'hewn' (the latter is more common in literary British English).

常見錯誤

❌He chopped the stone into a cube.
✅He hewed the stone into a cube.
💡'chop' is for food or wood with a downward motion; 'hew' implies shaping a hard material with a heavy tool.

2. to follow or obey a rule, principle, or standard strictly, without deviating fro

2.動詞不及物C1
釋義

to follow or obey a rule, principle, or standard strictly, without deviating from it

例句

The new policy hews closely to the recommendations of the United Nations report.

hew closely to + [principle/document]

Andrei hewed to the company's dress code even on casual Fridays.

同義詞
  • adhere

    more common in everyday formal writing; 'adhere to' is interchangeable with 'hew to'

  • conform

    broader; can mean matching a standard either by choice or by external pressure

  • follow

    more general and less formal; does not carry the nuance of strictness

反義詞
  • deviate

    to move away from a rule or standard, the opposite of hewing to it

  • ignore

    to deliberately pay no attention to a rule or principle

文法句型

hew to + noun phrase

用法筆記

Almost always used with the preposition 'to'. Frequented by adverbs such as 'closely', 'faithfully', 'strictly'. This sense is unrelated to the physical cutting sense; it derives from the idea of 'sticking to' a chosen path.

常見錯誤

❌The government hewed with the new regulations.
✅The government hewed to the new regulations.
💡'hew' in this sense always takes 'to', not 'with'.