Green’s Dictionary of Slang

chew n.

1. a quid of chewing tobacco.

1830		Disgraced Flunky 1: ‘Well, how much did you get?’ said the Duke. ‘A Shillin’ and a chew,’ said the boy .
1868		H.L. Williams Three Black Smiths in Darkey Drama 4 29: Got a chew?
1874		J.H. Carter ‘Jim Kane’ Log of Commodore Rollingpin 190: Jim [...] a chew of navy took.
1880		Greenwood Gaol Birds at Large n.p.: A piece as large as a horsebean, called a chew, is regarded as an equivalent for a twelve-ounce loaf and a meat ration [F&H].
1899		Eve. Star (Wash, DC) 4 Nov. 24/6: His pardner [...] was perishing for a piece of plug [...] the man on the New York end had the chance to go in and lend my man a chew.
1902		Bulletin (Sydney) 30 Aug. 32/2: The brother [...] sent word asking 23 to send him a ‘chew.’ No. 23 [...] dexterously avoided the eye of Warder Lanigan, and slipped ‘a quarter’ under the gate, knowing that the tobacco-hungry consumptive would be waiting on the other side.
1909		T. Bracken ‘Old Bendigo’ in Not Understood and Other Poems 64: Old mate, just pass a chew.
1919		V. Marshall World of Living Dead (1969) 82: Over the way a ‘trial ’man had tossed a ‘chew’ to a ‘toeragger’.
1928		N.I. White Amer. Negro Folk-Songs 256: [reported from Auburn, AL, 1915–16] n.p.: Hello Captain, / How do you do? / If you got any Battle Axe, [brand of chewing tobacco] / Send me down a chew.
1937		J. Curtis You’re in the Racket, Too 188: I hope like hell next time we’re in the nick together I’m fixed as right as rain and you’re starving for a chew.
1977		(con. 1960s) D. Goines Black Gangster (1991) 57: I can get me a chew and play a few numbers.
2000		F.X. Toole Rope Burns 90: Only thing Daddy spent money on for himself, besides work clothes, was chew.

2. (US) talk, shouting.

1928

(con. 1918) L. Nason Sergeant Eadie 46: ‘What’s all the chew about?’ asked Jake [...] ‘The top kick has been bawling me out,’ said Eadie.

SE in slang uses

In phrases

put the chew on (v.)

to blackmail.

1943

R.L. Bellem ‘Dead Man’s Shakedown’ in Dan Turner Detective Mar. [Internet] Then she put the chew on Sid—and he rubbed her out tonight to keep her from blowing the whistle on him.