Make Your Point, Jr. > Words in ABC Order > gnaw

Study the word GNAW: (Source) To gnaw something, or to gnaw on or at something, is to chew on it for a long time. And when something is gnawing at you, it's bothering you for a long time, as if it's chewing on you. This cat is gnawing on the cord: chewing on it again and again. (Source) Dogs gnaw on bones. Beavers gnaw away at logs. Mice can gnaw their way through the walls. (Source) And babies love to gnaw on toys, especially as they grow new teeth. (Source) You might gnaw on a corn cob, or gnaw a piece of watermelon, or gnaw away at any other food that takes a lot time to chew. When I have a soda with a plastic straw, I like to gnaw on the straw! But I only do it at home, with just my family! Gnawing tends to be a messy, sloppy, impolite kind of chewing. (Source) If you feel worried or nervous, you might gnaw at your lip, or gnaw on your fingernails, or gnaw away at the insides of your cheeks. (Source) And when pains or bad thoughts or feelings gnaw at you, they bother you again and again. You might feel a gnawing hunger if you have to wait too long to eat, or a gnawing ache if you stubbed your toe really hard an hour ago. Or, you might feel a gnawing worry, or a gnawing sense of fear, the night before you start a new school year. (Source) You might be wondering, "What's up with the silent G in this word?" Well, it comes from Old English, and back then, people actually pronounced the G. We don't anymore. Why? I don't know! That question is really gnawing at me!   Make a flash card: You can write your own definition and choose your own picture, or copy mine. Term Definition Picture gnaw to mash down on something with your teeth again and again, or, to make someone feel worried again and again   Write your own sentence! You can use either of the two ideas I'll suggest, or you can invent your own. Include as much detail as you can! (Source)   Write a sentence with the word GNAW: Remember: to gnaw on something is to bite down on it for a long time. Idea 1: "(Some person or animal) relaxed (somewhere), gnawing on (some kind of snack)." Idea 2: "I gnawed on my lower lip, trying to decide what to do about (a difficult problem of some sort)." You can type in here. When you're done, copy and paste your sentence wherever you'd like it to go.