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Glite Dictionary
to chew off

to chew off

3 3.5
To bite something until it comes off
  • phrasal verb
  • /tʃuː ɔf/
translation icon : morder
  • He's got one eye missing, and half of his left antenna has been chewed off.
  • chew off his leg
  • chew off my arm

Examples

  • She chewed off a bite of the chewy steak and smiled.

  • Looks like it's been chewed off.

    It's Alive (1974)

  • My Guinea pig just chewed off this massive lock of hair.

  • It looks like it was chewed off.

    Alligator (1980)

  • The dog chewed off the corner of the sofa leg.

  • He chewed off the plastic cover of the new toy.

Synonyms

to bite
vsto chew off
768 1.0

To use the teeth to cut, grip, or tear something

focuses on detaching by repeated tooth action rather than any tooth-caused wound
to chop off
vsto chew off
45 3.4

To remove something by cutting, often with a sharp blow

separates by tooth action rather than using a heavy cutting blow
to pull off
vsto chew off
41 2.7

To take something off from where it is attached

does the same action using tooth action rather than drawing it by hand
to gnaw
vsto chew off
30 3.2

Bite or chew something again and again to make it smaller

detaches by tooth action to separate a piece rather than only wearing it down
to break off
vsto chew off
28 2.8

To make a piece come away from something by hitting or bending it

uses tooth action to detach parts rather than separating by force or tools
to tear off
vsto chew off
12 3.0

To pull something off quickly until it rips

separates by tooth action rather than by violent ripping or pulling
to bite off
vsto chew off
12 2.1

To remove a piece from something using the teeth

removes by slow repeated tooth action rather than a single sudden action
to pick off
vsto chew off
9 4.3

Pull things away one at a time

separates by tooth action rather than plucking items individually by hand
to snap off
vsto chew off
9 3.5

To break a piece from something with a quick, sharp movement

separates by tooth action rather than a sudden mechanical break
to lop off
vsto chew off
9 4.6

To cut a part from something with one quick move

detaches by tooth action rather than cutting with a tool in one quick move
to chip off
vsto chew off
3 3.2

Break a small piece from something by hitting or pressing it

removes by tooth action rather than breaking pieces off by force
to nip off
vsto chew off
5.1

Cut off small parts by pinching or snipping

uses tooth action to separate rather than a quick pinch or cut

Antonyms

to attach
459 2.5

To join or fasten one thing to another so they stay together

How Forceful

to bite off
12 2.1
to chew off
3 3.5
nibble
12 3.2

Surface Forms

chew off infinitive
chewed off past
chewed off past participle
chewing off present participle
chews off third person singular

Morphology

chew + off

The meaning 'to remove, detach, or separate by biting' is directly and transparently derivable from 'chew' (to bite/gnaw) combined with the particle 'off' (indicating removal or separation). This verb+particle compositional pattern is common in English (and found in many languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The verb chew off comes from the image of using chew, your teeth, to bite through something until it comes off. So it means 'to remove by biting'.