Library / English Dictionary

COW

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Mature female of mammals of which the male is called 'bull'

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("cow" is a kind of...):

eutherian; eutherian mammal; placental; placental mammal (mammals having a placenta; all mammals except monotremes and marsupials)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Female of domestic cattle:

Example:

'moo-cow' is a child's term

Synonyms:

cow; moo-cow

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("cow" is a kind of...):

Bos taurus; cattle; cows; kine; oxen (domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age)

Meronyms (parts of "cow"):

bag; udder (mammary gland of bovids (cows and sheep and goats))

poll (the part of the head between the ears)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cow"):

springer; springing cow (a cow about to give birth)

heifer (young cow)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A large unpleasant woman

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("cow" is a kind of...):

disagreeable woman; unpleasant woman (a woman who is an unpleasant person)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Subdue, restrain, or overcome by affecting with a feeling of awe; frighten (as with threats)

Synonyms:

cow; overawe

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "cow" is one way to...):

awe (inspire awe in)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cow"):

buffalo (intimidate or overawe)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot cow Sue

Derivation:

coward (a person who shows fear or timidity)

Credits

 Context examples: 

EXAMPLE(S): flock of ducks, litter of mice, herd of cows

(Biologic Entity Group, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

Scientists previously found that infants allergic to cow’s milk had different compositions of gut microbes than non-allergic infants.

(Gut microbes from healthy infants block milk allergy development in mice, National Institutes of Health)

Warm ocean waters caused the widespread loss of seagrasses, a main food source for dugongs (sea cows) and other species that are the sharks' prey.

(Sharks, the seagrass protectors, National Science Foundation)

Cartilage extracted from various parts of a cow and is proposed to stimulate the immune system and inhibit tumor cell growth.

(Bovine Cartilage, NCI Thesaurus)

E. mundtii has been isolated from cow teats, plants and soil, and though rare is pathogenic in humans causing enophthalmitis.

(Enterococcus mundtii, NCI Thesaurus)

Food made from the milk of some mammals, most commonly cows, goats and sheep.

(Dairy Product, NCI Thesaurus)

It was unfortunate that the poundman had gobbled Maria's cows.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“Yes, sir,” came the answer of a spirit cowed.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

I read in the typescript that in my trance I heard cows low and water swirling level with my ears and the creaking of wood.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Never mind. I have here a nice beautiful new cow, the best milker in California.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)