hew out
To make something by cutting into rock or wood with great effort.
Meanings
To cut or shape something from a hard material such as stone, rock, or wood using forceful blows.
"Early settlers hewed out a shelter from the rock face to survive the winter."
To create or achieve something through sustained hard work and determination (figurative).
"She hewed out a distinguished career in law through decades of dedication."
"We will hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope."
— Martin Luther King Jr., 'I Have a Dream' speech, 1963
Appears in both literal (stone carving, woodworking) and figurative contexts. The figurative sense ('hew out a life/path') is common in literary and political speech. Slightly formal or elevated in register.
Commonly used with
Forms
Understand "hew out" better
Real video examples
Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.
Want to master this phrasal verb?
Practice "hew out" on Looplines