- sew up
-
transitive verb
Date: 15th century
1. to mend completely by sewing
2. to get exclusive use or control of
3. to make certain of ; be assured of <the team sewed up the division title>
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
sew — [səu US sou] v past tense sewed past participle sewn [səun US soun] or sewed [I and T] [: Old English; Origin: siwian] to use a needle and thread to make or repair clothes or to fasten something such as a button to them ▪ I learned to sew at… … Dictionary of contemporary English
sew — O.E. siwian to stitch, earlier siowian, from P.Gmc. *siwjanan (Cf. O.N. syja, Swed. sy, O.H.G. siuwan, Goth. siujan to sew ), from PIE root *syu to bind, sew (Cf. Skt. sivyati sews, sutram t … Etymology dictionary
sew — [sō] vt. sewed, sewn or sewed, sewing [ME sewen < OE siwian, akin to Goth siujan < IE base * siw , to sew > SEAM, L suere (pp. sutus), to sew, sew together] 1. to join or fasten with stitches made with needle and thread 2. to make, mend … English World dictionary
Sew — Sew, v. t. [imp. {Sewed}; p. p. {Sewed}, rarely {Sewn}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sewing}.] [OE. sewen, sowen, AS. si[ o]wian, s[=i]wian; akin to OHG. siuwan, Icel. s?ja, Sw. sy, Dan. sye, Goth. siujan, Lith. siuti, Russ, shite, L. ssuere, Gr. ????, Skr.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
sew — [ sou ] (past tense sewed; past participle sewn [ soun ] or sewed) verb intransitive or transitive * 1. ) to make or repair clothes using a needle and THREAD: sew a skirt/hem 2. ) to fasten something using a needle and THREAD: sew something on… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
sew|er — sew|er1 «SOO uhr», noun. an underground drain to carry off waste water and refuse. SYNONYM(S): conduit. ╂[< Old French sewiere sluice from a pond, ultimately < Latin ex out + aquāria (water) vessel < aqua water] sew|er2 «SOH uhr», noun.… … Useful english dictionary
sew — [səʊ ǁ soʊ] verb sewed PASTTENSE sewn PASTPART [səʊn ǁ soʊn] also sewed sew something → up phrasal verb [transitive] 1 … Financial and business terms
Sew — Sew, n.[OE. See {Sewer} household officer.] Juice; gravy; a seasoned dish; a delicacy. [Obs.] Gower. [1913 Webster] I will not tell of their strange sewes. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Sew — Sew, v. t. [See {Sue} to follow.] To follow; to pursue; to sue. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Sew — Sew, v. i. To practice sewing; to work with needle and thread. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Sew — Sew, v. t. [[root]151 b. See {Sewer} a drain.] To drain, as a pond, for taking the fish. [Obs.] Tusser. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English