• whew,pew

Attested since the early 17th century. An onomatopoeia for rapid exhalation, as one may make when a trying situation is over, or in order to get rid of an unpleasant odour. CompareScotsfeuch,Spanishfu,Czechfuj, and many more such forms.

• IPA^(key):/fjuː/,[ɸj̊u̥˥˩],/fɪu̯/
• Rhymes:-uː

• Audio(UK):

  (file)

• Homophone:few

phew

1. Used to expressrelief oftension,fatigue, orsurprise.

   Phew, that took a long time to cook!

2. Used to showdisgust.

   Phew, it stinks in here!

• (expressing relief of tension):whew
• (expressing disgust): SeeThesaurus:yuck

• whew,whewee
• phewee

FromProto-Khasian*pʰəw. ComparePnarphaw,Lyngngamphu.

• IPA^(key):/pʰew/

phew

1. aten (generally used in combination, such asshiphew)

• Singh, U Nissor (1906)Khasi-English dictionary‎^[1], Shillong: Eastern Bengal and Assam Secretariat Press, page156. Searchable online atSEAlang.net.