The word "chewed" is spelled as "tʃuːd". The "ch" sound is represented by the phoneme /tʃ/ which is a voiceless palato-alveolar affricate. This sound is made by blocking the airflow with the tongue against the hard palate and then releasing it through a narrow opening around the palate. The "ew" sound represents the diphthong /uː/ which starts with the vowel sound /u/ and moves to the vowel sound /w/. Finally, the "d" sound is a voiced alveolar stop made by blocking the airflow with the tongue against the alveolar ridge.
Chewed is the past tense and past participle of the verb "to chew." It is used to describe the action of biting and grinding something repeatedly with the teeth in order to break it down into smaller pieces, usually for the purposes of consuming food or simply as a habit.
When an item is chewed, it implies that it has been broken or torn apart by the action of teeth, resulting in a softer and more manageable form. Chewing is a common process among humans and animals alike, as it is an essential part of the digestion process.
Chewed can also be used metaphorically to describe the act of mentally processing or deliberating over an idea or situation, similar to how one physically chews food. In this context, chewing implies learning, analyzing, and contemplating the subject matter in order to gain a deeper understanding.
In the context of food, chewed suggests that the process of biting and grinding with the teeth has already taken place, usually resulting in significant changes in texture and size. Chewed food is often easier to swallow and digest compared to larger, unchewed pieces.
Overall, the term chewed describes the act of breaking down and reducing the size or texture of something, whether it be food or thoughts, through repeated biting and grinding with the teeth.
Chew the cud, to eat the food over again, as a cow; to think; to meditate.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "chewed" originated from the Middle English word "chewen", which can be traced back to the Old English word "ceowan". In turn, "ceowan" can be derived from the Proto-Germanic word "kewwanan". This word eventually evolved into "chew" in modern English. The term refers to the action of crushing or grinding food with the teeth in order to help with digestion.