cow

plural cows · plural cattle · archaic dialectal plural kye · plural kine

1. countableuncountablestrictlyAn adult female of the species Bos taurus, especially one that has calved.

   The whole herd is out to pasture right now — the cows, calves, and heifers are out back, and the bulls are down by the creek.

2. broadlycountableinformaluncountableAny member of the species Bos taurus that is not of a bucking breed or fighting breed, regardless of sex or age, including steers and calves.

   We saw lots of cows at the farm show, including some surprisingly gigantic bulls.

   Synonyms: cattle beast

3. uncommonuncountableBeef: the meat of cattle as food.

   The only meat I eat is cow.

4. countableuncommonuncountableAny bovines or bovids generally, including yaks, buffalo, etc.
5. countableuncountablebiologyA female member of other large species of mammal, including the bovines, moose, whales, seals, hippos, rhinos, manatees, and elephants.
6. IrelandUKcountablederogatoryinformaluncountableA woman considered unpleasant in some way, particularly one considered nasty, stupid, fat, lazy, or difficult.

   […] the worst insult to a woman, either in London or Paris, is "cow"; a name which might even be a compliment, for cows are among the most likeable of animals.

   1933 January 9, George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], chapter XXXII, in Down and Out in Paris and London, London: Victor Gollancz […], →OCLC

   2 more examples

   Greville Preston: You've been set up, you silly cow. Now, don't let me hear any more about this unless you have absolute stand-up-in-court proof it's kosher... Mattie Storin: Pig.

   1990, House of Cards, Season 1, Episode 2

   By the time of my third, five months ago, I was a right bossy cow about what I wanted because I knew the drill. For reasons I shan’t bore you with, I got them to induce me at 39 weeks, at 10am, with the epidural going in first, and it was all a dream.

   2014 December 5, Marina Hyde, “Childbirth is as awful as it is magical, thanks to our postnatal ‘care’”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 15 Apr 2021

   Synonyms: bitch, bastard

7. countableuncountablebusinessA chock: a wedge or brake used to stop a machine or car.
8. UScountableslanguncountablegovernmentA third-year cadet at West Point.

   Colonel Red Reeder, West Point Second Classman An assistant manager, wearing the stripes of a cadet corporal, walked up to Coach Smith. Clint knew him, a Cow from B-l. What had he done to become so outstanding that the Tacs made him a corporal?

   1 more example

   When I was a cow (junior) at West Point, I dated a plebe (freshman), which is considered fraternization in the cadet realm.

   2023, James E Parco, David A Levy, Daphne DePorres, Attitudes Aren't Free: A Call to Action, page 242

9. countableslanguncountablefishingA fish that is very large for its species, such as a large striped bass or large bluefin tuna.

present singular third person cows · participle present cowing · participle past cowed · past cowed

1. transitivechiefly passive voiceTo intimidate; to daunt the spirits or courage of.

   Con artists are not cowed by the law.

   3 more examples

   To vanquish a people already cowed.

   1711 September 21 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “MONDAY, September 11, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 167; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page Steele

   Emily looked across at the girl. Large, steady, purplish-grey eyes gazed into beady, twinkling, black ones—gazed unquailingly—with something in them that cowed and compelled. The black eyes wavered and fell, their owner covering her retreat with another giggle and toss of her short braid of hair.

   1923, Lucy Maud Montgomery, “Chapter 8”, in Emily of New Moon

   When a man resolves to become a warrior, when his life is given over to a transcendent cause, then he can’t be cowed by the Big Bad Wolf threatening to blow his house down.

   2021 [2001], John Eldredge, chapter 9, in Wild at Heart, Expanded edition, Nelson Books, →ISBN, pages 153–154

   Synonyms: buffalo, bulldoze, bully, browbeat, dastardize, daunt, dishearten, do down

plural cows

1. UKdialectalA chimney cowl.

   Who could live to gaze from day to day on bricks and slates, who had once felt the influence of a scene like this? Who could continue to exist, where there are no cows but the cows on the chimneypots; nothing redolent of Pan but pan-tiles; […]

   1836, Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers

plural cows

1. astronomyLFBOT: Synonym of luminous fast blue optical transient.

   Synonyms: cow-class event, cow event, cow-like event, LFBOT, cow class, luminous fast blue optical transient

plural COWs

1. abbreviationacronymuncountablecomputingAcronym of copy-on-write.
2. abbreviationacronymuncountablegovernmentAcronym of chief of watch.

1. alternativeAlternative form of C of W.

plural CoWs

1. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of clerk of works.

plural Cows

1. countableuncountableA surname
2. A placename
   1. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of Cow Creek.
   2. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of Cow Island.
   3. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of Cow Lake.
   4. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountableEllipsis of Cow Mountain.