hew

Hew is a verb with several related senses centered on cutting or shaping material with a sharp tool. The primary sense is to chop, strike, or cut away material with an axe, knife, or similar implement, as in hewing timber or hewing a block of stone. It can also mean to shape by cutting, or to cleave or carve something with effort. The present tense forms are hew and hews; the past tense is hewed, and the perfect participle is hewn; the present participle is hewing. In the passive or adjectival form, material that has been cut in this way is described as hewn, for example a hewn stone or a hewn log. The noun hewer refers to a person who hews, such as a stonecutter or a woodworker.

In extended use, hew can appear in phrases such as to hew to the line or to hew to a policy, meaning to adhere closely to a rule, plan, or standard. The term is common in historical, architectural, and artisanal contexts, where its literal sense is frequently encountered. Its figurative usage is more common in formal or literary prose.

Etymology traces Hew from Old English hēawan, meaning to cut or chop, with cognates in other Germanic languages. The word has long been used in construction and carving, contributing to terms like hewn stone and hewer, and it remains a standard descriptor in descriptions of manually shaped materials.