chew up

To bite something repeatedly until it becomes soft or breaks into small pieces.

• Chew up your food before swallowing.
• The dog chewed up my shoe.
• Has the puppy chewed up another cushion?

How to use it: chew something up (The puppy chewed my slippers up.)

Similar words: chew

Common phrases: chew up something, chew up the food

To damage land by digging into it or driving over it.

• Those tyres will chew up the grass.
• The digger chewed up the garden.
• Heavy trucks have chewed up the muddy track.

How to use it: chew something up (The heavy vehicles chewed the track up.)

Similar words: tear up, damage

Common phrases: chew up land, chew up the lawn

To beat an opponent very easily and completely.

• They will chew up our team.
• The champions chewed up their opponents yesterday.
• Our young team was chewed up in the final.

How to use it: chew someone/something up (Their forwards chewed our defense up.)

Similar words: crush, thrash, destroy

Common phrases: chew up opponents, chew up another team

To make someone feel very worried or upset.

• That memory still chews me up.
• The thought of leaving chewed her up inside.
• He was chewed up by guilt after the accident.

How to use it: something chews someone up (The guilt was chewing him up.)

Similar words: torment, distress, upset

Common phrases: chew up someone, chew up someone inside