mew up
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
to imprison
Register: archaic
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
"We do not keep him mewed up, Betsey," replied Mrs. Barclay, “nor does he continue mewed up, for a single flash of temper[…]"
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “mew up” mean?
to imprison
Is “mew up” formal or informal?
mew up is generally archaic.