mew

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈmyü 

: gull

especially : a small gull (Larus canus) of Eurasia and western North America

mew

2 of 5

verb (1)

mewed; mewing; mews

intransitive verb

: to utter a mew or similar sound

gulls mewed over the bay

transitive verb

: to utter by mewing : meow

mew

3 of 5

noun (2)

: meow

mew

4 of 5

noun (3)

1

: an enclosure for trained hawks

—usually used in plural

2

: a place for hiding or retirement

3

mews plural in form but singular or plural in construction chiefly British

a(1)

: stables usually with living quarters built around a court

(2)

: living quarters adapted from such stables

b

: back street : alley

mew

5 of 5

verb (2)

mewed; mewing; mews

transitive verb

: to shut up : confine

—often used with up

Synonyms

Verb (2)

• box (in)
• cage
• closet
• coop (up)
• corral
• encage
• encase
• enclose
• inclose
• envelop
• fence (in)
• hedge
• hem (in)
• house
• immure
• include
• pen
• wall (in)

Examples of mew in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

To mew or not to mew? Both Lee and Marashi are quick to point out that the practice of mewing is not scientifically backed and the overall practice of orthotropics that Mew developed is controversial at best. —Christina Pérez, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024

Outside of the Target collaboration, Gibson said her customers can be on the lookout for some mew products and collaborations from Legendary Rootz coming out in the future. —The Arizona Republic, 30 Jan. 2024

Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the ownership of specific vehicles that The Guardian saw at the royal mews. —Louisa Ballhaus, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2023

Placing Joe in a mews house stemmed from the need for a rear window between his flat and Kate and Malcom’s apartment. —Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 10 Mar. 2023

And then, of course, now the mews house is an incredibly fashionable place to live, and incredibly expensive. —Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2023

Seagulls wheel and mew. —Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2021

Hear that 'catlike' mew? —Jacob Job, Scientific American, 2 July 2021

Once its shoulder fracture heals enough to be more mobile, it will be moved into a mew – a space resembling a stall with walls extending up to a vaulted ceiling. —Sophie Hills, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Nov. 2022

Verb

The controversial history behind ‘mewing’ John Mew, the father of the viral ‘mewing’ trend, is no longer licensed to practice in the United Kingdom. —India Espy-Jones, Essence, 8 Apr. 2024

But can mewing really change the shape of your jaw long-term? —Christina Pérez, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024

According to the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), ‘mewing’ is the movement of flattening your tongue against the roof of your mouth in an attempt to define your jawline. —Kristina Behr, Parents, 23 Feb. 2024

Cow elk communicate to other cows, as well as their calves, by mewing or chirping, another elk vocalization that can be heard for a significant distance. —Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 28 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English mǣw; akin to Old Norse mār gull

Verb (1)

Middle English mewen, of imitative origin

Noun (3)

Middle English mewe, from Anglo-French mue, muwe, from muer to change, molt, from Latin mutare to change — more at mutable

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

1596, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mew

• sea mew

Kids Definition

mew

1 of 3 noun

ˈmyü 

: gull entry 1

especially : a small gull of Eurasia and western North America

mew

2 of 3 noun

: meow

mew verb

mew

3 of 3 noun

1

: a cage for hawks

2

plural, chiefly British : stables usually with living quarters built around a court

Etymology

Noun

Old English mæw "gull"

Noun

Middle English mewen (verb) "meow"; a word imitating the sound of a cat

Noun

Middle English mewe "a cage for hawks," from early French mue (same meaning), from muer "to change, molt," from Latin mutare "to change"