What Does Gnaw Mean?

The word gnaw has its origin in Old English and is taken from the word gnagan. Later, it was adapted by the Middle English as gnauen. When someone gnaws something, he chews or bites it with his teeth. He erodes that thing. In the example: to gnaw a hole; the action of gnawing produced a hole. Thus gnaw could also be used to indicate something produced by gnawing. It could also take a slightly different meaning. For example: the waves gnawing the rocks at the shore. This explains that the waves were eroding the rocks at the shore.

When something afflicts or worries someone persistently, it is described as gnawing. The thing referred gnaws the person. For example: anxiety and fear that constantly gnawed her. Champ, chomp, gnash, corrode, eat or wear away are some word that are synonymous to gnaw.