Phrase guide

chew the cud

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To ruminate (of ruminant animals).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: agriculture, business, lifestyle

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To meditate or ponder before answering; to be deep in thought; to ruminate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: přežvykovat — literal meaning
  • Dutch: herkauwen — literal meaning
  • Finnish: märehtiä — literal meaning
  • French: ruminer — literal meaning
  • Hungarian: kérődzik — literal meaning
  • Italian: ruminare — literal meaning
  • Latin: rūmīnō — literal meaning
  • Navajo: náʼátʼaał — literal meaning
  • Polish: przeżuwać — literal meaning
  • Polish: przeżuć — literal meaning
  • Scottish Gaelic: ath-chagainn — literal meaning
  • Telugu: నెమరువేయు (nemaruvēyu) — literal meaning
  • Turkish: geviş getirmek — literal meaning
  • Ukrainian: жува́ти жу́йку (žuváty žújku) — literal meaning
  • Vietnamese: nhơi — literal meaning
  • Czech: přemítat — to meditate or ponder before answering
  • Finnish: märehtiä — to meditate or ponder before answering
  • French: ruminer — to meditate or ponder before answering
  • German: sinnieren — to meditate or ponder before answering
  • German: grübeln — to meditate or ponder before answering
  • German: nachdenken — to meditate or ponder before answering
  • Polish: zastanawiać się — to meditate or ponder before answering
  • Polish: zastanowić się — to meditate or ponder before answering
  • Polish: myśleć — to meditate or ponder before answering
  • Polish: pomyśleć — to meditate or ponder before answering