sew: Meaning and Definition of

sew

Pronunciation: (sō), [key]
— v., sewed, sewn sewed, sew•ing.
—v.t.
  1. to join or attach by stitches.
  2. to make, repair, etc., (a garment) by such means.
  3. to enclose or secure with stitches: to sew flour in a bag.
  4. to close (a hole, wound, etc.) by means of stitches (usually fol. by up).
—v.i.
  1. to work with a needle and thread or with a sewing machine.
  2. They were about to sew up the deal when the argument started.
    1. Informal.to get or have a monopoly of; control exclusively.
    2. Informal.to complete or conclude (arrangements, negotiations, etc.) successfully:They were about to sew up the deal when the argument started.
    3. to gain or be assured of:He tried to sew up as many votes as possible before the convention.

sew

Pronunciation: (s), [key]
— v., n. sewed, sew•ing,
—v.t.
  1. to ground (a vessel) at low tide (sometimes fol by up).
—v.i.
  1. (of a vessel) to be grounded at low tide.
—n.
  1. the amount of additional water necessary to float a grounded vessel.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also:
  • sew (Thesaurus)