mow

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈmau̇ 

1

: a piled-up stack (as of hay or fodder)

also : a pile of hay or grain in a barn

2

: the part of a barn where hay or straw is stored

mow

2 of 4

verb (1)

ˈmō 

mowed; mowed or mown ˈmōn  ; mowing

transitive verb

1

a

: to cut down with a scythe or sickle or machine

b

: to cut the standing herbage (such as grass) of

mow the lawn

2

a(1)

: to kill or destroy in great numbers or mercilessly

machine guns mowed down the enemy

(2)

: to cause to fall : knock down

b

: to overcome swiftly and decisively : rout

mowed down the opposing team

intransitive verb

: to cut down standing herbage (such as grass)

mower

ˈmō(-ə)r 

noun

mow

3 of 4

noun (2)

ˈmau̇  ˈmō 

: grimace

mow

4 of 4

verb (2)

ˈmau̇  ˈmō 

mowed; mowing; mows

intransitive verb

: to make grimaces

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• cut
• shave
• trim

Noun (2)

• grimace
• scowl
• frown
• mouth
• look
• lour
• lower
• pout
• face
• stare

Examples of mow in a Sentence

Verb (1)

you really should mow the lawn before it gets much higher

an afternoon spent mowing hay

Noun (2)

her mow suggested that she wasn't looking forward to a long evening of political speeches

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

While applying pre-emergent herbicides in September or October is the best defense against these weeds, mowing in late fall and winter can help manage any that appear after the herbicide window. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2025

Outdoors, WhistlinDiesel drove a truck into Ben, took it into downtown Nashville, and even used it to mow a lawn. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025

They’re expected to clear 25 acres (10 hectares) over a five-week stint, an experiment officials say is worth a try on part of the 300 acres (120 hectares) that need to be mowed. —Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025

In mixed turf, mow to the height for the predominant species in your lawn. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, heap, stack, from Old English mūga; akin to Old Norse mūgi heap

Verb (1)

Middle English mowen, going back to Old English māwan (past participle māwen), going back to West Germanic *mēan- (whence, with a differing hiatus consonant, Old Frisian miā, miān "to mow," Middle Dutch maeyen, Old High German *māen), going back to an Indo-European verbal base *h₂meh₁- "reap, mow," whence also Greek amáō, amân "to reap, cut" (perhaps from *h₂mh₁-eh₂-)

Note: Old English māwan is a Class VII strong verb (like cnāwan know entry 1, blāwan blow entry 1), though a weak verb in later Middle and Modern English and in other Germanic languages. The element *-eh₁- in *h₂meh₁- has been treated as a suffix, with a parallel derivative *h₂m-et- yielding Italo-Celtic *met-, in Latin metō, metere "to reap, harvest, cut off," Welsh medaf, medi "to reap," Middle Breton midiff, Breton mediñ, Middle Irish meithel "reaping party," Welsh medel. Hittite hamešha(nt)- "spring, harvest time" has also been connected with *h₂meh₁-, though with some dispute. Cf. aftermath, meadow.

Noun (2)

Middle English mowe, from Anglo-French mouwe, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch mouwe protruding lip

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mow

• mow down
• mow the lawn

Rhymes for mow

• beau
• beaux
• blow
• boe
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

mow

1 of 2 noun

ˈmau̇ 

1

: a stack of hay or straw

2

: the part of a barn where hay or straw is stored

mow

2 of 2 verb

ˈmō 

mowed; mowed or mown ˈmōn  ; mowing

1

: to cut down with a scythe or machine

mow hay

2

: to cut the standing leafy plant cover from

mow a lawn

3

: to kill or destroy in great numbers

4

: to overcome completely

mow down the other team

mower

ˈmō(-ə)r 

noun

Etymology

Noun

Old English mūga "heap, stack"

Verb

Old English māwan "to mow (as hay)"