Main Entry: hew

Pronunciation: \ˈhyü\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): hewed; hewed or hewn \ˈhyün\; hew·ing

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hēawan; akin to Old High German houwan to hew, Lithuanian kauti to forge, Latin cudere to beat

Date: before 12th century

transitive verb 1 : to cut with blows of a heavy cutting instrument
2 : to fell by blows of an ax <hew a tree>
3 : to give form or shape to with or as if with heavy cutting blows <hewed their farms from the wilderness — J. T. Shotwell>intransitive verb 1 : to make cutting blows
2 : conform, adhere <hew to tradition> —often used in the phrase hew to the line <no pressure…on newspapers to hew to the official line — New York Times Magazine>

— hew·er noun