stew
B1 (Intermediate)Neutral to informal in the cooking sense; informal/idiomatic in the 'worry' sense (e.g., 'in a stew', 'stew over').
Definition
Meaning
A dish of meat, vegetables, and seasonings cooked slowly in liquid, often to tenderize tougher cuts.
A state of agitation, worry, or being confined in a hot, stuffy atmosphere; to cook slowly or to be left in a difficult, simmering situation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily refers to a method of slow, moist-heat cooking. The idiomatic sense ('to stew' as worry, 'in a stew') is common and metaphorical, implying internalized, simmering anxiety.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both use the core meaning. 'Stew' as a noun for the dish is slightly more common in UK descriptions of home cooking. The idiom 'stew in your own juice(s)' is more frequent in UK English. 'Stew' as a verb meaning to worry ('He stewed all night') is equally common in both.
Connotations
UK: Strong associations with traditional, hearty, home-cooked meals like 'beef stew'. US: Also a comfort food, but possibly with more regional variations (e.g., 'Brunswick stew'). In both, 'stew' can imply a simple, thrown-together meal.
Frequency
High frequency for the noun (food). Medium frequency for the verb (cooking). Medium-low frequency for the idiomatic verb/noun (worry).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
stew (sth) (for + time)stew (in sth) (e.g., in its own juices)stew (over sth)stew (about sth)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in a stew (worried/agitated)”
- “stew in one's own juice(s) (to suffer the consequences of one's actions)”
- “let him stew (leave someone to worry)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Informal: 'The manager left them to stew over the missed deadline.'
Academic
Rare, except in historical/culinary contexts: 'The peasant diet relied heavily on stews.'
Everyday
Very common: 'I'm making a stew for dinner.' / 'Don't stew about it.'
Technical
Culinary: 'Stewing is a combination cooking method using conduction and convection.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Stew the beef with the root vegetables for at least two hours.
- You'll just have to stew in your own juices if you won't apologise.
- He's been stewing over that comment all week.
American English
- Let the meat stew in the broth until it's fall-apart tender.
- I told him not to call, just let her stew for a while.
- She stewed about the interview results all weekend.
adverb
British English
- Not commonly used as an adverb.
American English
- Not commonly used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Stewed steak comes in a tin and is very tender.
- The tea had been stewing too long and tasted bitter.
American English
- He ordered the stewed tomatoes as a side dish.
- After the long meeting, we all felt stewed and stuffy in the conference room.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My grandmother makes a delicious beef stew.
- Put the vegetables in the pot to stew.
- The recipe says to let the chicken stew for 45 minutes.
- He was in a real stew before his driving test.
- After the argument, she left him to stew in his own resentment.
- A good stew develops its flavour through long, slow cooking.
- The political scandal left the minister stewing in a broth of his own making, unable to counter the allegations effectively.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a pot STEWing on the stove, and you STEWing (worrying) about whether it will be ready on time. Both involve a slow, internal process.
Conceptual Metaphor
WORRY/ANGER IS A HEATED LIQUID (He was steaming. She boiled with rage. I'm stewing over his comments.)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not 'рагу' (ragout) exclusively. 'Stew' is the broader, more common term. The verb 'тушить' maps perfectly to 'to stew' (cook) and metaphorically to 'to stew' (worry).
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'stew' (slow cook) with 'steam' (cook with vapor). Using 'stew' as a countable noun for the liquid only (e.g., 'a stew of juice' is odd).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'stew' in its idiomatic sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A stew has less liquid relative to the solid ingredients, and the liquid is typically thicker, often acting as a gravy. The ingredients are also usually cut into bite-sized pieces and cooked until very tender.
No. Its most common metaphorical use is to describe a state of anxious, simmering worry or agitation (e.g., 'to be in a stew,' 'to stew over a problem').
Yes. Transitive: 'Stew the fruit with sugar.' Intransitive: 'The meat needs to stew for hours.' / 'He's stewing in his room.'
Informally, 'stewed' can mean very drunk (slang, somewhat dated). It can also describe tea that has been brewed for too long, making it strong and bitter.