gnaw
v
1 [Ipr, Tn] ~ (at) sth bite sth hard continually until it is worn away 不断地啃, 咬, 啮硬物(直至啃掉、 咬去、 啮断)
a dog gnawing (at) a bone 啃著骨头的狗
a boy gnawing his fingernails 咬著指甲的男孩.
2 [Ipr, Ip, Tn]
~ (at) sb/sth (fig 比喻) cause sb/sth continual distress and torment 使某人苦恼; 使某事物受折磨
fear and anxiety gnawing (at) one's heart 心中受著恐惧和不安的折磨
the gnawing pains of hunger 饥饿引起的绞痛
guilt gnawing (away) at one's conscience 使良心不安的罪愆.
3 (phr v) gnaw sth away/off destroy sth gradually by gnawing 啃掉或咬坏某物
Rats gnawed off the lid of the box. 老鼠啃坏了箱盖.
Officials used to have trouble with the foreign names of people passing through Ellis Island, and because they were so busy, many people's names got changed in the rush.