bow-wow

alternative bow wow · alternative bowwow

1. Representing the sound of a dog barking.

   Harke, harke, bowgh wawgh: the watch-Dogges barke, bowgh-wawgh.

   1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 5, column 1

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   She […] hath ſtiled him with an immortall penne, the bawewawe of ſchollars, the tutt of gentlemen, the tee-heegh of gentlewomen, the phy of citizens, the blurt of Courtiers, the poogh of good letters, the faph of good manners, and the whoop-hooe of good boyes in London ſtreetes.

   1593, Gabriell Haruey [i.e., Gabriel Harvey], Pierces Supererogation: Or A New Prayse of the Old Asse. A Preparative to Certaine Larger Discourses, Intituled Nashes S. Fame, London: […] Iohn Wolfe, →OCLC; republished as John Payne Collier, editor, Pierces Supererogation: Or A New Prayse of the Old Asse. […] (Miscellaneous Tracts. Temp. Eliz. & Jac. I; no. 8), [London]: [s.n.], [1870], →OCLC, page 181

plural bow-wows · alternative bow wow · alternative bowwow

1. The sound of a dog barking.

   And a chorus of quadruped, white and brown, / Bark’d affirmative, “gone to town,” / With affable bursts of French bow-wow; / (As part of the family they knew how!)

   1864, Bessie Rayner Parkes, “Fontainebleau”, in Good Words, volume 5, page 224

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   The pack commenced to work back and forth along the ridge. We neared a hollow where Prince barked eagerly. Curley answered, and likewise Queen. Mux’s short, angry bow-wow showed that he was in line.

   1911, Zane Grey, “VI. Trails”, in The Young Lion Hunter, New York: Grosset & Dunlap, →OCLC, →OL, page 63

2. childishhumorousA dog.

   My grandchild, who, when walking, wobbles, Calls dogs Bow-wows, and turkeys, Gobbles. Today I called a cow Moo-moo; She’s got me talking that way too.

   1953, Ogden Nash, “The Pushover”, in You Can’t Get There From Here, Boston: Little, Brown & Co., page 56

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   Daddy wouldn't buy me a bow wow! bow wow! / Daddy wouldn't buy me a bow wow! bow wow, / I've got a little cat, / And I'm very fond of that, / But I'd rather have a bow wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.

   1892, Joseph Tabrar, “Daddy Wouldn’t Buy Me a Bow Wow […]”, performed by Vesta Victoria, New York, N.Y.: T[homas] B. Harms & Co. […]; London: Francis, Day & Hunter, […], →OCLC, page 5

   1902, Theodore Roosevelt, letter to Kermit Roosevelt dated 13 October, 1902, in Joseph Bucklin Bishop (editor), Theodore Roosevelt’s Letters to His Children, New York: Scribner, 1919, p. 36, Gem is really a very nice small bow-wow, but Mother found that in this case possession was less attractive than pursuit.

present singular third person bow-wows · participle present bow-wowing · participle past bow-wowed · past bow-wowed · alternative bow wow · alternative bowwow

1. To make the sound of a dog, to bark, to bow-wow

alternative bow wow · alternative bowwow

1. datedinformalnot comparableGrandiose.

   Lord Pembroke said once to me at Wilton, with a happy pleasantry, and some truth, that “Dr. Johnson’s sayings would not appear so extraordinary were it not for his bow-wow way;” but I admit the truth of this only on some occasions.

   1785, James Boswell, The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, London: Charles Dilly, page 8

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   1826, Walter Scott, Diary entry for 14 March, 1826, in The Complete Works of Sir Walter Scott; with a Biography, New York: Conner & Cooke, 1833, Volume 7, Chapter 68, p. 475, Miss Austen […] had a talent for describing the involvements, and feelings, and characters of ordinary life, which is to me the most wonderful I ever met with. The Big Bow-wow strain I can do myself like any now going; but the exquisite touch, which renders ordinary commonplace things and characters interesting, from the truth of the description and the sentiment, is denied to me.