pew

Everyday

1. (church) A long wooden bench with a back, where people sit in a church. tree →
2. (informal, UK) A seat: «Take a pew» means «sit down». tree →
3. (interjection, informal) A sound people make about a bad smell: «Pew! What stinks?» tree →

In the lessons

In church life families sit in the pews; the front pews are for the wedding or funeral family. In British everyday speech «take a pew» is a friendly way to say «have a seat». Children say «pew!» (or «pee-yew») at a smell. Phrases: «take a pew», «the front pew», «church pews».

Examples

• We sat in the front pew at the wedding. tree →
• The old church pews are hard to sit on. tree →
• «Come in and take a pew,» said Grandad. tree →
• Hymn books are kept in a shelf on the back of each pew. tree →
• «Pew! Who left their socks here?» tree →
• The family filled three pews at the christening. tree →
• The clear sunshine streamed so warmly through the window into the pew where Karen sat! tree →

Note

Countable. Rhymes with «few». «Take a pew» is UK informal. The smell word is also spelled «phew» or «pee-yew» (US); «phew» more often means relief («Phew, we made it!»).