תבנית שימוש:
gnaw (on) [something]
The puppy sat quietly and gnawed on its bone.
A kiskutya csendben ült, és a csontját rágcsálta.
Beavers gnaw trees to get wood for their dams.
A hódok fákat rágnak, hogy fát szerezzenek a gátjaikhoz.
He gnawed at the tough crust until it finally broke.
דוגמאות ללומדים
The dog gnawed on a bone.
A kutya egy csontot rágcsált.
A mouse can gnaw wood.
Az egér meg tudja rágni a fát.
טעות נפוצה:
The spelling has a silent “g” (pronounced like “naw”). Often used with on (gnaw on a bone).
משמעות
bite and chew repeatedly
צירופים
gnaw on a bone
|gnaw on a stick
|gnaw on a toy
|gnaw at the meat
|gnawing animal
|gnawing teeth
מילים נרדפות
chew (More general; gnaw suggests repeated biting, often on something hard.)
|
nibble (Usually smaller, lighter bites than gnaw.)
הפכים
swallow (Taking food down without chewing repeatedly.)
נושאים
animals
|food
|daily_life
הגדרה
To chew something again and again.
To bite and chew something repeatedly, especially to remove small pieces from a hard surface.
תבנית שימוש:
gnaw through [something] / gnaw a hole in [something]
Rats had gnawed through the plastic pipe.
A patkányok átrágták a műanyag csövet.
Something had gnawed a hole in the flour bag.
Valami kirágott egy lyukat a liszteszacskón.
The rabbit gnawed the door frame when it was bored.
דוגמאות ללומדים
Mice gnawed through the box.
Az egerek átrágták a dobozt.
טעות נפוצה:
Use through for the result (gnaw through a cable), not *gnaw across.
משמעות
damage by chewing a hole
צירופים
gnaw through a wire
|gnaw through a rope
|gnaw through the fence
|gnaw a hole in a bag
|gnaw holes in wood
|rats gnawed through
|mice gnawed the box
מילים נרדפות
chew through (Close in meaning; gnaw emphasizes repeated biting, often by animals.)
הפכים
mend (Fixing damage rather than causing it.)
נושאים
animals
|home
|problems
הגדרה
To chew something until you make a hole or go through it.
To make a hole in something or cut through it by gnawing.
תבנית שימוש:
[something] gnaws at [someone]
Doubt gnawed at her all week.
Egész héten mardosta a kétely.
The lie began to gnaw at his conscience.
A hazugság elkezdte mardosni a lelkiismeretét.
A small fear gnawed in the back of his mind.
דוגמאות ללומדים
Guilt gnawed at him.
A bűntudat mardosta.
טעות נפוצה:
Commonly used with at (doubt gnawed at her). Also common as an adjective: gnawing doubt.
משמעות
worry someone continuously
צירופים
gnawing doubt
|gnawing guilt
|gnawing fear
|gnaw at your conscience
|gnaw at you
|questions gnawed at him
|a suspicion gnawed at her
|hunger gnawed at them
מילים נרדפות
nag (Often used for an irritating thought or worry that keeps returning.)
|
torment (Stronger; suggests more intense suffering.)
|
prey on (Similar metaphor; often used for fears or worries.)
הפכים
reassure (To remove worry rather than create it.)
|
comfort (To ease distress rather than cause ongoing distress.)
נושאים
emotions
|mind
|relationships
הגדרה
If something gnaws at you, you keep thinking about it and it makes you feel bad.
To trouble someone continuously, so that the feeling or thought does not go away.
תבנית שימוש:
[something] gnaws at [something] / gnaw away at [something]
Over decades, the ocean gnawed at the base of the cliff.
Évtizedek alatt az óceán kikezdte a sziklafal alját.
Rising costs gnawed away at the company’s profits.
Az emelkedő költségek kikezdték a cég nyereségét.
Stress can gnaw away at your health if it never stops.
דוגמאות ללומדים
The sea gnawed at the rocks.
A tenger kikezdte a sziklákat.
טעות נפוצה:
Often used in figurative writing about money, strength, or resources (costs gnawed at profits).
משמעות
wear away gradually
צירופים
the sea gnawed at the cliffs
|time gnaws at
|inflation gnawed at savings
|costs gnawed at profits
|corrosion gnawed at the metal
|gnaw away at the foundation
|gnaw away at support
מילים נרדפות
erode (More formal; often used for land, trust, or power.)
|
wear away (Very close; less vivid than gnaw.)
|
eat away at (Common metaphor for gradual reduction or damage.)
הפכים
strengthen (To make something stronger rather than weaken it.)
|
build up (To increase or add rather than reduce.)
נושאים
nature
|business
|change
הגדרה
To slowly damage or reduce something over time.
To gradually wear away, weaken, or reduce something over time, as if by biting.