mow
verbnounnounverbnounverbnounattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈməʊ//
- United States//ˈmoʊ//
- Australia//ˈməʉ//
- New Zealand//ˈmɐʉ//
- Scotland//ˈmo//
- //maʊ̯//
To cut down grass or crops.
verb
- 1
To cut down grass or crops.
He mowed the lawn every few weeks in the summer.
Just let me wake up in the morning to the smell of new-mown hay.
- 2
To cut down or slaughter in great numbers.
In the afternoon they attacked again, in close formation: our artillery mowed them, but they came on and on, […]
On the one hand, we had a scenario where, effectively, the American admiral just went "You know what, all the destroyers attack", at which point they mowed through the Japanese destroyers like a Grim Reaper through a harvest of very, very dead gorn, especially with the Brooklyns in support.
Etymology
From Middle English mowen (participle mowen), from Old English māwan (past tense mēow, past participle māwen), from Proto-West Germanic *māan, from Proto-Germanic *mēaną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂meh₁- (“to mow, reap”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian mjo (“to mow”), Dutch maaien (“to mow”), German mähen (“to mow”), Luxembourgish méien (“to mow”), Danish meje (“to mow”), Swedish meja (“to mow”); see also Hittite [script needed] (ḫamešḫa, “spring/early summer”, literally “mowing time”), Latin metō (“to harvest, mow”), Ancient Greek ἀμάω (amáō, “to mow”).
noun
- 1
The act of mowing (a garden, grass, etc.).
The lawn hasn't had a mow for a couple of months, so it's like a jungle out there!
- 2
A shot played with a sweeping or scythe-like motion.
I consider it would engender a stiff, tame, cautious mode of play, with only now and then a mow, or a chopping hit.
At times, they seemed to be playing an especially orgiastic version of Stick Cricket, all computerised mows over midwicket and 30 off the over.
noun
- 1
A scornful grimace; a wry face.
Make mows at him.
Those that paint them dying […] delineate the prisoners spitting in their executioners faces, and making mowes at them.
Etymology
From Middle English mowe, from Old French moe (“grimace”), from Frankish *mauwa (“pout, protruding lip”), from Proto-Germanic *mawwō (“muff, sleeve”). Akin to Middle Dutch mouwe (“protruding lip”). Doublet of moue ("pout").
verb
- 1
To make grimaces, mock.
For every trifle are they set upon me: / Sometime like apes that mow and chatter at me, / And after bite me;
Nodding, becking, and mowing.
He mowed at me, and, bowing with ironical politeness, pointed to the house.
noun
- 1
A stack of hay, corn, beans or a barn for the storage of hay, corn, beans.
- 2
The place in a barn where hay or grain in the sheaf is stowed.
Etymology
From Middle English mowe, form Old English mūga, mūha, from Proto-West Germanic *mūgō, *mūhō, from Proto-Germanic *mūgô, *mūhō; perhaps connected to Ancient Greek μύκων (múkōn, “heap”). Cognate with Norwegian muge (“heap, crowd, flock”).
verb
- 1
To put into mows.
noun
- 1
Variant of mewobsoleteAlternative form of mew (a seagull)
Forms
- plural
- mows
- past tense
- mowed
- past participle
- mown, mowed
- present participle
- mowing
- third person singular
- mows