Biting and grinding food in your mouth so it becomes soft enough to swallow.

synonyms: chew, chewing, manduction.

Roget 298: eating etc. v.; deglutition, gulp, epulation^†, mastication, manducation^†, rumination; gluttony etc. 957.    [eating specific foods] hippophagy^†, ichthyophagy^†.    [Eating anatomy:] (appetite) etc. 865; mouth, jaws, mandible, mazard^†, gob [Slang], chops.    drinking etc. v.; potation, draught, libation; carousal etc. (amusement) 840; drunkenness etc. 959.    food, pabulum; aliment, nourishment, nutriment; sustenance, sustentation, sustention; nurture, subsistence, provender, corn, feed, fodder, provision, ration, keep, commons, board; commissariat etc. (provision) 637; prey, forage, pasture, pasturage; fare, cheer; diet, dietary; regimen; belly timber, staff of life; bread, bread and cheese.    comestibles, eatables, victuals, edibles, ingesta; grub, grubstake, prog^†, meat; bread, bread stuffs; cerealia^†; cereals; viands, cates^†, delicacy, dainty, creature comforts, contents of the larder, fleshpots; festal board; ambrosia; good cheer, good living.    beef, bisquit^†, bun; cornstarch [U.S.]; cookie, cooky [U.S.]; cracker, doughnut; fatling^†; hardtack, hoecake [U.S.], hominy [U.S.]; mutton, pilot bread; pork; roti^†, rusk, ship biscuit; veal; joint, piece de resistance [Fr.], roast and boiled; remove, entremet^†, releve [Fr.], hash, rechauffe [Fr.], stew, ragout, fricassee, mince; pottage, potage^†, broth, soup, consomme, puree, spoonmeat^†; pie, pasty, volauvent^†; pudding, omelet; pastry; sweets etc. 296; kickshaws^†; condiment etc. 393.    appetizer, hors d'oeuvre [Fr.].    main course, entree.    alligator pear, apple &c., apple slump; artichoke; ashcake^†, griddlecake, pancake, flapjack; atole^†, avocado, banana, beche de mer [Fr.], barbecue, beefsteak; beet root; blackberry, blancmange, bloater, bouilli^†, bouillon, breadfruit, chop suey [U.S.]; chowder, chupatty^†, clam, compote, damper, fish, frumenty^†, grapes, hasty pudding, ice cream, lettuce, mango, mangosteen, mince pie, oatmeal, oyster, pineapple, porridge, porterhouse steak, salmis^†, sauerkraut, sea slug, sturgeon ("Albany beef"), succotash [U.S.], supawn [U.S.], trepang^†, vanilla, waffle, walnut.    table, cuisine, bill of fare, menu, table d'hote [Fr.], ordinary, entree.    meal, repast, feed, spread; mess; dish, plate, course; regale; regalement^†, refreshment, entertainment; refection, collation, picnic, feast, banquet, junket; breakfast; lunch, luncheon; dejeuner [Fr.], bever^†, tiffin^†, dinner, supper, snack, junk food, fast food, whet, bait, dessert; potluck, table d'hote [Fr.], dejeuner a la fourchette [Fr.]; hearty meal, square meal, substantial meal, full meal; blowout [Slang]; light refreshment; bara^†, chotahazri^†; bara khana^†.    mouthful, bolus, gobbet^†, morsel, sop, sippet^†.    drink, beverage, liquor, broth, soup; potion, dram, draught, drench, swill [Slang]; nip, sip, sup, gulp.    wine, spirits, liqueur, beer, ale, malt liquor, Sir John Barleycorn, stingo^†, heavy wet; grog, toddy, flip, purl, punch, negus^†, cup, bishop, wassail; gin etc. (intoxicating liquor) 959; coffee, chocolate, cocoa, tea, the cup that cheers but not inebriates; bock beer, lager beer, Pilsener beer, schenck beer^†; Brazil tea, cider, claret, ice water, mate, mint julep [U.S.]; near beer, 3.   2 beer, non-alcoholic beverage.    eating house etc. 189.    [person who eats] diner; hippophage; glutton etc. 957.    ... show more

Dutch: het kauwen, kauwen, kauwbeweging