Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Pew
Pew
(pū)
, Noun.
[OE.
pewe
, OF. puie
parapet, balustrade, balcony, fr. L. podium
an elevated place, a jutty, balcony, a parapet or balcony in the circus, where the emperor and other distinguished persons sat, Gr. πόδιον
, dim. of πούς
, ποδός
, foot; – hence the Latin sense of a raised place (orig. as a rest or support for the foot). See Foot
, and cf. Podium
, Poy
.] 1.
One of the compartments in a church which are separated by low partitions, and have long seats upon which several persons may sit; – sometimes called
slip
. Pews were originally made square, but are now usually long and narrow. 2.
Any structure shaped like a church pew, as a stall, formerly used by money lenders, etc.; a box in theater; a pen; a sheepfold.
[Obs.]
Pepys.
Milton.
Pew opener
, an usher in a church.
[Eng.]
Dickens.
Pew
,Verb.
T.
To furnish with pews.
[R.]
Ash.
Webster 1828 Edition
Pew
PEW
,Noun.
PEW
,Verb.
T.
Definition 2024
Pew
pew
pew
See also: Pew
English
pews
Noun
pew (plural pews)
- One of the long benches in a church, seating several persons, usually fixed to the floor and facing the chancel.
- In many churches some pews are reserved for either clerical or liturgical officials such as canons, or for prominent families
- An enclosed compartment in a church which provides seating for a group of people, often a prominent family.
- 2006 September 11, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, "Bush Mourns 9/11 at Ground Zero as N.Y. Remembers", The New York Times
- At St. Patrick’s Cathedral, firefighters in dress blues and white gloves escorted families to the pews for a memorial service, led by Mr. Bloomberg, to honor the 343 Fire Department employees killed on 9/11.
- 2006 September 11, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, "Bush Mourns 9/11 at Ground Zero as N.Y. Remembers", The New York Times
- Any structure shaped like a church pew, such as a stall, formerly used by money lenders, etc.; a box in a theatre; or a pen or sheepfold.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Samuel Pepys to this entry?)
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Milton to this entry?)
- (colloquial, humorous) A chair; a seat.
- Pull up a pew.
Derived terms
Translations
long bench in a church
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enclosed compartment in a church
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Verb
pew (third-person singular simple present pews, present participle pewing, simple past and past participle pewed)
- To furnish with pews.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Ash to this entry?)
Etymology 2
Possibly from French putois (“skunk”) or puer (“to stink”) or a truncation of putrid.
Alternative forms
Interjection
pew
- An expression of disgust in response to an unpleasant odor.
Translations
expression of disgust in response to an unpleasant odor
Etymology 3
Onomatopoetic.
Interjection
pew
- Representative of the sound made by the firing of a machine gun.
Anagrams
References
- Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967