Is to chew the cud formal or informal?

It is mostly literary or old-fashioned, not everyday spoken English.

Is it the same as ruminate?

Yes, but it is more image-based and less common than ruminate.

Can I use it in academic writing?

Usually no. Academic writing prefers ruminate, reflect, or consider.

← Dictionary

to-chew-the-cud

/tʊ tʃuː ðə kʌd/

IELTSAcademic

idiom

To think about something again and again, often in a slow or worried way. It usually suggests unhelpful thinking, not careful planning.

He kept chewing the cud about the interview.
Don't chew the cud over one mistake.
She chewed the cud all evening.

Adinary Nuance

To chew the cud is close to brood, dwelling on, and ruminate. It is more vivid and slightly old-fashioned than think about or worry about. Writers often use it when they want a strong image of someone stuck on one thought.

In other languages

Vietnamese: ngẫm nghĩ
Spanish: rumiar
Chinese: 反复思考
Japanese: 反芻する
Korean: 되새기다

Etymology

This idiom comes from cattle and other ruminants, which chew partly digested food again. It entered English in the 1500s as a vivid image for repeated thinking.

Common phrases

chew the cud over somethingkeep chewing the cudchew the cud all night

Synonyms

brood ruminate dwell on

Related words

worry reflect overthink

Frequently asked questions

Is to chew the cud formal or informal?: It is mostly literary or old-fashioned, not everyday spoken English.
Is it the same as ruminate?: Yes, but it is more image-based and less common than ruminate.
Can I use it in academic writing?: Usually no. Academic writing prefers ruminate, reflect, or consider.