hew

v. t. [ imp. Hewed p. p. Hewed or Hewn p. pr. & vb. n. Hewing. ] [ AS. heáwan; akin to D. houwen, OHG. houwan, G. hauen, Icel. höggva, Sw. hugga, Dan. hugge, Lith. kova battle, Russ. kovate to hammer, forge. Cf. Hay cut grass, Hoe. ] 1. To cut with an ax; to fell with a sharp instrument; -- often with down, or off. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To form or shape with a sharp instrument; to cut; hence, to form laboriously; -- often with out; as, to hew out a sepulcher. [ 1913 Webster ]

Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn. Is. li. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rather polishing old works than hewing out new. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cut in pieces; to chop; to hack. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hew them to pieces; hack their bones asunder. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Destruction by cutting down. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Of whom he makes such havoc and such hew. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Hind a peasant. ] A domestic servant; a retainer. [ Obs. ] “False homely hewe.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who hews. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Hickwall. ] (Zool.) The European green woodpecker. See Yaffle. [ 1913 Webster ]