1. (v. t.) To bite, as something hard or tough, which is not readily separated or crushed; to bite off little by little, with effort; to wear or eat away by scraping or continuous biting with the teeth; to nibble at.

2. (v. t.) To bite in agony or rage.

3. (v. t.) To corrode; to fret away; to waste.

4. (v. i.) To use the teeth in biting; to bite with repeated effort, as in eating or removing with the teeth something hard, unwieldy, or unmanageable.

ablate abrade abrase afflict agonize ail annoy badger bark bedevil beleaguer bite bother burn canker chafe champ chaw chew chew the cud chew up chomp consume convulse corrode crucify crumble cut devour distress eat eat away eat into erase erode excruciate fester file fray frazzle fret gall give pain gnash gnaw away grate graze grind gripe gum harass harrow harry haunt hector hurt inflame inflict pain irk irritate kill by inches lacerate martyr martyrize masticate mouth mumble munch nag nettle nibble nibble away nip oxidize pain peeve pester pierce pinch plague prick prolong the agony put to torture rack rankle rasp raze rub rub away rub off rub out ruminate rust scour scrape scrub scuff skin stab sting tease torment torture trouble tweak twist vex wear wear away wear down worry wound wring