hews

Cuts with blade

Hews is the third-person singular of hew, meaning to chop or cut with heavy blows: The woodsman hews logs into beams.

Hew can also mean to shape or form through effort: She hewed a career from nothing.

To hew to something is to conform or adhere strictly: He hews to traditional values.

chop

axe

Bladed tool for chopping

timberWood for construction
firewoodCut logs for burning
fellingDowning standing timber

logs · woodcutter · splitting · cleave · hack · slash · kindling · lumber · roughhewn · beam

carve

chisel

Edged carving implement

sculptShape by carving
whittleCarve by shaving layers
inciseCut into material

sculpture · stonecutting · marble · granite · quarry · block · shape · fashion · form · chip

conforms

adheres

Stays firmly attached

followsComes after another
alignsArranges into proper position
abidesTolerates or remains

cleaves · sticks · holds · keeps · observes · obeys · maintains · complies · accords · matches

Opposites

cutting action

Thin cut portions

whittles · shaves · pares · incises · fillets

material manipulation

Brings together, attaches

builds · constructs · assembles · fuses · welds

conformity

Openly resists or challenges

flouts · disregards · ignores · deviates · strays

Phrases

rough hewnRoughly shaped, unpolished

Family

hew, hewed, hewing, hewn, unhewn, hewers, hewer

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G