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cow
1[ kou ]
/ kaʊ /
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noun, plural cows, (Archaic) kine. [kahyn] /kaɪn/
the mature female of a bovine animal, especially of the genus Bos.
the female of certain other mammals, as elephants, seals, and whales.
Informal. a domestic bovine of either sex and any age.
Slang: Disparaging and Offensive.
- a contemptible woman, especially one who is fat, stupid, lazy, etc.
- a woman who has a large number of children or is frequently pregnant.
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Idioms about cow
have a cow, Slang. to become very angry or upset; throw a fit: My mom will have a cow when she hears I'm moving.
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 of cow
1OTHER WORDS FROM cow
cow·like, adjectiveWords nearby cow
Other definitions for cow (2 of 2)
cow2
[ kou ]
/ kaʊ /
verb (used with object)
to frighten with threats, violence, etc.; intimidate; overawe.
Origin of cow
2First recorded in 1610–20; perhaps from Old Norse kūga “to oppress, cow”; compare Norwegian kue “to cow”
OTHER WORDS FROM cow
un·cowed, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use cow in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for cow (1 of 2)
cow1
/ (kaʊ) /
noun
the mature female of any species of cattle, esp domesticated cattle
the mature female of various other mammals, such as the elephant, whale, and seal
(not in technical use) any domestic species of cattle
informal a disagreeable woman
Australian and NZ slang something objectionable (esp in the phrase a fair cow)
till the cows come home informal for a very long time; effectively for ever
Word Origin for cow
Old English cū; related to Old Norse kӯr, Old High German kuo, Latin bōs, Greek boūs, Sanskrit gāŭs
British Dictionary definitions for cow (2 of 2)
cow2
/ (kaʊ) /
verb
(tr) to frighten or overawe, as with threats
Word Origin for cow
C17: from Old Norse kūga to oppress, related to Norwegian kue, Swedish kuva
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Other Idioms and Phrases with cow
cow
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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