hand-hewn
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Made by cutting or shaping with a heavy tool, especially by hand: "hand-hewn" describes something, typically wood or stone, that has been formed or shaped using manual tools like an axe, adze, or chisel, rather than by machine. It emphasizes the traditional, labor-intensive method of craftsmanship.
Usage
- Adjective:
- The term is used attributively (before a noun) to describe the material or object that has been worked by hand.
- It often carries connotations of rustic, sturdy, or traditional quality.
Examples
- Adjective:
- The cabin was constructed from hand-hewn timber beams.
- They admired the hand-hewn stone steps leading up to the old temple.
Advanced Usage
- Descriptive Use: The word is often used in historical, architectural, or artisanal contexts to highlight the manual skill and effort involved in creation, contrasting with modern, machine-made items.
- The museum displayed a collection of hand-hewn tools from the Neolithic era.
Variants and Related Words
- Hewn (adj): The simpler form, meaning cut or shaped with a heavy tool. "Hand-hewn" specifies the manual aspect more explicitly.
- The logs were hewn from local oak.
- Rough-hewn (adj): Shaped in a rough, unfinished, or unrefined manner.
- The sculpture had a rough-hewn beauty.
Synonyms
- Handcrafted: Made by hand, though this is broader and can apply to finer crafts like pottery or weaving.
- Hand-cut: Cut by hand, but less specific about the tool used.
- Hand-carved: Specifically carved by hand, often with finer detail.
Antonyms
- Machine-cut: Cut or shaped by a machine.
- Prefabricated: Manufactured in sections beforehand for easy assembly.
- Mass-produced: Made in large quantities, typically by automated processes.
Related Phrases and Idioms
(Note: "Hand-hewn" itself is not typically used in phrasal verbs or common idioms. Its usage is primarily descriptive.) - To hew to: (Phrasal verb) To adhere strictly to a principle, rule, or line. This is a different, figurative use of the root verb "hew." - The company hewed to its traditional values.
Adjective
- cut or shaped with hard blows of a heavy cutting instrument like an ax or chisel
- a house built of hewn logs
- rough-hewn stone
- a path hewn through the underbrush