cow1

[kou] /kaʊ/
noun, plural cows (Archaic) kine.
1.
the mature female of a bovine animal, especially of the genus Bos.
2.
the female of various other large animals, as the elephant or whale.
3.
Informal. a domestic bovine of either sex and any age.
4.
Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a large, obese, and slovenly woman.
5.
Offensive. a woman who has a large number of children or is frequently pregnant.
Idioms
6.
till / until the cows come home, for a long time; forever:
You can keep arguing till the cows come home, but I won't change my mind.
Origin
before 900; Middle English cou, Old English cū; cognate with German Kuh, Dutch koe, Old Norse kȳr, Latin bōs, Greek boûs ox; cf. bovine, gaur
Related forms
cowlike, adjective

cow2

[kou] /kaʊ/
verb (used with object)
1.
to frighten with threats, violence, etc.; intimidate; overawe.
Origin
1595-1605; < Old Norse kūga to oppress, cow; compare Danish kue to cow
Related forms
uncowed, adjective
Synonyms
terrorize, scare, bully.
Examples from the web for cow
  • There are compelling arguments on both sides of the cow case.
  • It is not a cash cow despite what the spin-doctors say.
  • Scientists say they have generated clean, renewable electricity from the bacteria-rich fluids found inside cow stomachs.
  • Sometimes the loan can cover the purchase of a much-needed dairy cow.
  • To the extent that they can cow people into performing, these administrators can be moderately effective for a while.
  • The official inquiry into the government's handling of mad cow disease has finally reported.
  • The cow nurses her calf until it is about eight months old.
  • Ideas for treating the human form of mad cow disease begin to emerge.
  • The clock is always ticking on fresh produce, meat and anything from a cow.
  • Experiments are underway to produce a cloned cow that is absolutely free of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease.
British Dictionary definitions for cow

cow1

/kaʊ/
noun
1.
the mature female of any species of cattle, esp domesticated cattle
2.
the mature female of various other mammals, such as the elephant, whale, and seal
3.
(not in technical use) any domestic species of cattle
4.
(informal) a disagreeable woman
5.
(Austral & NZ, slang) something objectionable (esp in the phrase a fair cow)
6.
(informal) till the cows come home, for a very long time; effectively for ever
Word Origin
Old English cū; related to Old Norse kӯr, Old High German kuo, Latin bōs, Greek boūs, Sanskrit gāŭs

cow2

/kaʊ/
verb
1.
(transitive) to frighten or overawe, as with threats
Word Origin
C17: from Old Norse kūga to oppress, related to Norwegian kue, Swedish kuva
Word Origin and History for cow
n.

Old English cu "cow," from Proto-Germanic *kwon (cf. Old Frisian ku, Middle Dutch coe, Dutch koe, Old High German kuo, German Kuh, Old Norse kyr, Danish, Swedish ko), earlier *kwom, from PIE *gwous (cf. Sanskrit gaus, Greek bous, Latin bov-, Old Irish bo, Latvian guovs, Armenian gaus "cow," Slovak hovado "ox"), perhaps ultimately imitative of lowing (cf. Sumerian gu, Chinese ngu, ngo "ox"). In Germanic and Celtic, of females only; in most other languages, of either gender. Other "cow" words sometimes are from roots meaning "horn, horned," e.g. Lithuanian karve, Old Church Slavonic krava.

v.

"intimidate," c.1600, probably from Old Norse kuga "oppress," of unknown origin, but perhaps having something to do with cow (n.) on the notion of easily herded. Related: Cowed; cowing.

Slang definitions & phrases for cow

cow

noun
  1. Milk (1900+)
  2. A woman: The silly cow believed everything she heard (1696+)
  3. A young woman (1930s+ Underworld)
Related Terms

armored cow, canned cow, cash cow, sea cow


Related Abbreviations for cow

COW

cellsite on wheels
cow in the Bible

A cow and her calf were not to be killed on the same day (Lev. 22:28; Ex. 23:19; Deut. 22:6, 7). The reason for this enactment is not given. A state of great poverty is described in the words of Isa. 7:21-25, where, instead of possessing great resources, a man shall depend for the subsistence of himself and his family on what a single cow and two sheep could yield.

Idioms and Phrases with cow

cow

In addition to the idiom beginning with
cow
also see: