gnaw
gb/nˈɔ/ us/nˈɔ/
B2
Engleză
rágcsál, rág, átrág, kirág, mardos, kikezd
VERB
B2
1
Tipar de utilizare:
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.
Exemple pentru cursanți
The dog gnawed on a bone.
A kutya egy csontot rágcsált.
A mouse can gnaw wood.
Az egér meg tudja rágni a fát.
Greșeală frecventă:
The spelling has a silent “g” (pronounced like “naw”). Often used with on (gnaw on a bone).
Sens
bite and chew repeatedly
Colocații
gnaw on a bone
|gnaw on a stick
|gnaw on a toy
|gnaw at the meat
|gnawing animal
|gnawing teeth
Sinonime
chew (More general; gnaw suggests repeated biting, often on something hard.)
|
nibble (Usually smaller, lighter bites than gnaw.)
Antonime
swallow (Taking food down without chewing repeatedly.)
Teme
animals
|food
|daily_life
Definiție
To chew something again and again.
To bite and chew something repeatedly, especially to remove small pieces from a hard surface.
VERB
B2
2
Tipar de utilizare:
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.
Exemple pentru cursanți
Mice gnawed through the box.
Az egerek átrágták a dobozt.
Greșeală frecventă:
Use through for the result (gnaw through a cable), not *gnaw across.
Sens
damage by chewing a hole
Colocații
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
Sinonime
chew through (Close in meaning; gnaw emphasizes repeated biting, often by animals.)
Antonime
mend (Fixing damage rather than causing it.)
Teme
animals
|home
|problems
Definiție
To chew something until you make a hole or go through it.
To make a hole in something or cut through it by gnawing.
VERB
C1
3
mardos
C1
Tipar de utilizare:
[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.
Exemple pentru cursanți
Guilt gnawed at him.
A bűntudat mardosta.
Greșeală frecventă:
Commonly used with at (doubt gnawed at her). Also common as an adjective: gnawing doubt.
Sens
worry someone continuously
Colocații
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
Sinonime
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.)
Antonime
reassure (To remove worry rather than create it.)
|
comfort (To ease distress rather than cause ongoing distress.)
Teme
emotions
|mind
|relationships
Definiție
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.
VERB
C1
4
kikezd
B2
Tipar de utilizare:
[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.
Exemple pentru cursanți
The sea gnawed at the rocks.
A tenger kikezdte a sziklákat.
Greșeală frecventă:
Often used in figurative writing about money, strength, or resources (costs gnawed at profits).
Sens
wear away gradually
Colocații
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
Sinonime
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.)
Antonime
strengthen (To make something stronger rather than weaken it.)
|
build up (To increase or add rather than reduce.)
Teme
nature
|business
|change
Definiție
To slowly damage or reduce something over time.
To gradually wear away, weaken, or reduce something over time, as if by biting.
Gramatică
Forma de dicționar
gnaw
IPA
GB/nˈɔ/
US/nˈɔ/
Silabe și accent
gnaw (1 silabă)
Stress on 1st syllable (gnaw)
Forme ale cuvântului
Verb
- Base: gnaw
- 3rd Person Singular: gnaws
- Present Participle: gnawing
- Past: gnawed
Familie de cuvinte
Forms
gnaws
verb
gnawing
verb
gnawed
verb
Related words
gnawer
noun
Expresii
gnaw at
1/nˈɔ ˈæt/
phrasal verb
keep bothering or worrying
To make someone worried for a long time.
Exemple
- The decision gnawed at him for days.
- Even after she apologized, the memory still gnawed at her.
- A feeling of guilt gnawed at the back of his mind.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- A doubt gnawed at her.
gnaw away at
1/nˈɔ əwˈeɪ ˈæt/
phrasal verb
gradually reduce or weaken
To slowly make something smaller or weaker.
Exemple
- High fees gnawed away at his savings.
- Waves gnawed away at the sandbank all winter.
- Constant criticism can gnaw away at a person’s confidence.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- Costs gnawed away at our budget.
gnaw on
1/nˈɔ ˈɔn/
phrasal verb
chew repeatedly on something
To chew something again and again.
Exemple
- The dog gnawed on a bone for hours.
- She absentmindedly gnawed on the end of her pencil.
- The rabbit gnawed on the wooden leg of the chair.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- The puppy gnawed on its toy.
gnaw through
1/nˈɔ θɹˈu/
phrasal verb
chew through and make a hole
To chew until you go through something.
Exemple
- Mice gnawed through the cardboard overnight.
- The squirrels gnawed through the netting to reach the fruit.
- A rat had gnawed through the cable and cut the power.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- A mouse gnawed through the bag.