gnaw
Pronunciation: (nô), [key] — v., gnawed, gnawed gnawn, gnaw•ing.
—v.t. - to bite or chew on, esp. persistently.
- to wear away or remove by persistent biting or nibbling.
- to form or make by so doing: to gnaw a hole through the wall.
- to waste or wear away; corrode; erode.
- to trouble or torment by constant annoyance, worry, etc.; vex; plague.
—v.i. - to bite or chew persistently: The spaniel gnawed happily on a bone.
- to cause corrosion: The acid gnaws at the metal.
- to cause an effect resembling corrosion: Her mistake gnawed at her conscience.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.