gnaw - use in sentences

Object

  • bark: They will eat bulbs, roots, seeds and flower buds as well as gnaw bark.
  • mark: Signs of their presence are droppings, gnaw marks and smears where their fur has left grease marks on surfaces they have brushed against.
  • hole: The ants nest in the hollow branches into which they gain access through specially gnawed holes.

Preposition: on

  • bone: He would then proceed to gnaw on the bones and then throw them back into the soup.

Preposition: through

  • cable: It would be unwise to underestimate the damage which could occur should rats and mice gnaw through cables.
  • pipe: Fires can be cause in this way and rats can even gnaw through pipes, causing flooding.

Modifying Another Word

  • away: Most players play too long at their game of choice, allowing the house edge to gnaw away at their stakes.
  • even: Fires can be cause in this way and rats can even gnaw through pipes, causing flooding.
  • also: They can also gnaw the roots below ground level.
  • gently: Sip it slowly, and gnaw gently on your bottom lip.
  • continually: Rodents have permanently growing incisor teeth; they must continually gnaw to keep their teeth under control.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • off: But please please get a move on with more ASG, before I gnaw off my own leg in protest.
  • away: Then the crab secretly inserts a small stone and, preventing the oyster from closing up again, gnaws away its flesh.

Infinitive complement

  • keep: A chinchilla needs to constantly gnaw to keep these teeth worn down.

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.