Meaning & use
something to chew on
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrasefigurativeinformal
An idea, fact or question that is worth thinking about carefully for a while.
Grammar: Usually follows give someone or here's: let me give you something to chew on.
Patterns
- give someone something to chew on
- have something to chew on
The report gave the board something to chew on over the weekend.
Here's something to chew on: what if the problem is not the software at all?
I will leave you with something to chew on before the next lesson.
phrasefixed phrase
A piece of food or other object that can be chewed, for example a toy for a puppy or a snack.
Grammar: Literal use; the something can be replaced by a noun: a bone to chew on.
Patterns
- give someone something to chew on
Give the puppy something to chew on so he leaves the sofa alone.
The baby is teething and wants something to chew on.
The road trip snacks gave the kids something to chew on.
Common combinations
- give someone something to chew on
- The speaker gave the audience something to chew on.
- have something to chew on
- At least you have something to chew on while you wait.
- leave someone with something to chew on
- The film leaves viewers with something to chew on.
- find something to chew on
- Dogs need to find something to chew on.
- plenty to chew on
- The article has plenty to chew on.
Synonyms and how they differ
- food for thought
- Food for thought is a bit more standard and neutral, while something to chew on is chattier and implies slow, ongoing reflection.
- something to mull over
- Something to mull over stresses deliberate consideration but not the picture of eating.
- a talking point
- A talking point is meant to start discussion with others, not private thinking.
- a puzzle
- A puzzle suggests a problem to be solved, whereas something to chew on may have no solution.
Word family
Commonly confused: something to chew on or chew the fat?
something to chew on vs chew the fat
Chew the fat means to chat casually, not to think about an idea.
Practice
The teacher ended the lecture with a hard question to give the students something to ____.
Choose one answer.
Something to chew on is the idiom for an idea to think about. The other verbs and prepositions do not form an established phrase with this meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “something to chew on”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.