n.

1. the part of the skull of a vertebrate that frames the mouth and holds the teeth
2. the bones of the skull that frame the mouth and serve to open it; the bones that hold the teeth
3. holding device consisting of one or both of the opposing parts of a tool that close to hold an object

v.

1. talk socially without exchanging too much information;
   chew the fat, shoot the breeze, chat, confabulate, confab, chitchat, chatter, chaffer, natter, gossip, claver, visit
   
   • the men were sitting in the cafe and shooting the breeze
2. talk incessantly and tiresomely;
   yack, yack away, rattle on, yap away
3. chew (food);
   chew, masticate, manducate
   
   • He jawed his bubble gum
   • Chew your food and don't swallow it!
   • The cows were masticating the grass
4. censure severely or angrily;
   call on the carpet, take to task, rebuke, rag, trounce, reproof, lecture, reprimand, dress down, call down, scold, chide, berate, bawl out, remonstrate, chew out, chew up, have words, lambaste, lambast
   
   • The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car
   • The deputy ragged the Prime Minister
   • The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup