The word for today is…
hew (verb):
transitive verb
1: to cut with blows of a heavy cutting instrument
2: to cut down by blows of an axe
3: to give form or shape to with or as if with heavy cutting blows
intransitive verb
1: to make cutting blows (as with an axe)
2: conform, adhere
Source : Merriam -Webster
Etymology : Without context, the contrasting meanings of hew may seem arbitrary. What does shaping something with an axe have to do with conforming or adhering to something? If you're not a lumberjack, that's okay, we'll explain. The connection lies in the woodworking phrase "hew to the line," where line refers to the mark along the length of a log indicating where to chop in order to shape a beam. "Hewing to the line," literally, is cutting along the mark—adhering to it—until the side of the log is squared. In the 1800s, "hew to the line" was used figuratively as half of the idiom "hew to the line, let the chips fall where they may," to advise someone to stay true to a course of action, whatever the consequences may be. Over time the latter half of the phrase has been, well, hewn off.
If you enjoyed this Good Oil word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.
