Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to chew the cud

to chew the cud

7.7
To talk in a relaxed way about old times
  • idiom
  • /tʃu ðə kʌd/
  • Informal
translation icon : charlar
  • We love to chew the cud over old family photos whenever we get together.

Examples

  • She met her friend at the café to chew the cud and catch up on life.

  • After dinner, the neighbors gathered on the porch to chew the cud and watch the sunset.

  • Let's chew the cud over coffee.

  • After dinner, we chewed the cud for hours.

  • After dinner, the neighbors gathered on the porch to chew the cud and reminisce about their childhoods.

  • She invited her friend over to chew the cud and share memories from their college days.

  • Every Sunday, we sit in the garden to chew the cud and talk about everything that happened during the week.

Synonyms

to reminisce
vsto chew the cud
50 5.8

To think or talk about happy times from the past

focuses on relaxed social conversation rather than private reflection
to reminisce about
vsto chew the cud
16 5.3

To remember and talk about happy past events

is broader, covering relaxed chat beyond only past focused talk
to chew the fat
vsto chew the cud
  • Informal
3 7.9

Talk in a friendly, relaxed way for a long time

often centers on relaxed talking about past events rather than general chat

How Relaxed

to chew the cud
  • Informal
7.7
to chew the fat
  • Informal
3 7.9
to chat
  • Informal
269 1.0
to converse
29 3.3
to talk
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

chew the cud infinitive
chewed the cud past
chewed the cud past participle
chewing the cud present participle
chews the cud third person singular

Morphology

chew + the + cud

The phrase is a metaphorical extension of the literal action of animals 'chewing the cud' (a repetitive, contemplative chewing) so there is a visible link to 'ruminate/ponder' or to reminiscing. However, the extension to relaxed conversation and reminiscing is figurative and relies on knowledge of the animal behaviour and cultural usage (and 'cud' is low-frequency), so a B1 learner knowing the words may not reliably predict the idiomatic sense without prior exposure.

Etymology

The idiom chew the cud comes from the calm image of cows: after eating they bring up food and chew it again, and that food is the cud. So, chew the cud means 'to have a slow, relaxed talk or to think about the past'.