The word "hewn" is spelled with the letter "h" followed by "e," "w," and "n." In IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet), it is transcribed as /hjuːn/. The "h" is pronounced as the voiceless glottal fricative sound /h/ and the "e" is pronounced as the long vowel sound /juː/. The "w" is pronounced as the consonant sound /w/ and the "n" is pronounced as the nasal consonant sound /n/. Together, these sounds create the word "hewn," which means to cut or shape with a tool.
Hewn is a past participle of the verb "hew." The word hew refers to the action of cutting or shaping something with force using a tool such as an axe, chisel, or a similar instrument.
In a figurative sense, hewn is used to describe things that have been shaped, formed, or created through determined efforts or strong will. It implies the idea of sturdy craftsmanship or the result of great labor.
In a literal context, hewn is often used to describe wood or stone that has been chopped, carved, or shaped through manual labor. Hewn wood, for example, refers to timber or lumber that has been cut and shaped by hand. Similarly, hewn stone refers to blocks or pieces of stone that have been quarried and shaped using traditional methods.
Metaphorically, hewn can be used more broadly to describe anything that has been crafted or shaped with care and precision. It suggests that the object or idea was not created randomly or without purpose, but rather deliberately carved or molded by human effort.
Overall, hewn embodies the idea of a strong, purposeful alteration or creation, whether in the physical or metaphorical sense. It conveys the notion of something that has been skillfully crafted, resulting in a solid and enduring form.
The word "hewn" derives from the Old English verb "hēawan", which meant "to cut" or "to strike". It is related to the Old High German word "houwan" and the Old Norse word "höggva", both of which also meant "to cut". The English word "hewn" specifically refers to something that has been shaped, cut, or carved with a cutting tool such as an axe or a chisel.