Hew v. t. [imp. Hewed p. p. Hewed or Hewn p. pr. & vb. n. Hewing.]
1. To cut with an ax; to fell with a sharp instrument; -- often with down, or off.
2. To form or shape with a sharp instrument; to cut; hence, to form laboriously; -- often with out; as, to hew out a sepulcher.
Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn. --Is. li. 1.
Rather polishing old works than hewing out new. --Pope.
3. To cut in pieces; to chop; to hack.
Hew them to pieces; hack their bones asunder. --Shak.
Hewn a.
1. Felled, cut, or shaped as with an ax; roughly squared; as, a house built of hewn logs.
2. Roughly dressed as with a hammer; as, hewn stone.
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hewn
adj 1: cut down with an ax; "a hewn oak"
2: cut or shaped with hard blows of a heavy cutting instrument
like an ax or chisel; "a house built of hewn logs";
"rough-hewn stone"; "a path hewn through the underbrush"
[syn: hand-hewn]
hew
v 1: make or shape as with an axe; "hew out a path in the rock"
[syn: hew out]
2: strike with an axe; cut down, strike; "hew an oak"
[also: hewn]