gnaw at

• Verbe à particule désignant l'action de mordre ou de ronger continuellement quelque chose, ou au sens figuré, de causer une inquiétude, une anxiété ou un malaise persistants.

A phrasal verb used to indicate the act of persistently biting or chewing on something, or figuratively, to cause persistent worry, anxiety, or discomfort.

indénombrable · intransitif · phrasal, inséparable

1. Cause persistent worry or anxietyinformal

   To cause someone to feel continuous worry, guilt, or unease.

   Ronger (quelqu'un)

   • The thought of the mistake kept gnawing at him all day.
   • Her conscience was gnawing at her for lying.
   • Doubt began to gnaw at his confidence.

   Synonymesbotherhauntnagplaguetormenttroubleweigh on

2. Chew or bite persistentlyformal

   To bite or chew something repeatedly, often causing damage.

   ronger

   • The dog was gnawing at the bone for hours.
   • Rats had gnawed at the wooden floorboards.
   • He nervously gnawed at his fingernails.

   Synonymesbitechampchewchompcorrodeerodegnawmunchnibbleworry

Verbe de basegnaw