mow

1 of 2

verb

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

burst through the door and mowed down a couple of shoppers

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

mower

2 of 2

noun

mow·​er ˈmō(ə)r 

-ōə

plural -s

1

or less commonly mowing machine : an agricultural implement for cutting standing grass or grain or similar produce consisting of a reciprocating knife or sickle operated through guards or fingers and driven by a connecting rod from a crank and of gearing governing the speed of the crank and of dividers to divide the cut produce from the standing produce

2

: lawn mower

Synonyms of mow

Verb

• cut
• shave
• trim

Examples of mow in a Sentence

Verb

you really should mow the lawn before it gets much higher

an afternoon spent mowing hay

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

If not, give it another 30 minutes and check again before mowing. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 2026

Finally, mow grass high so that the blades will cast enough shade to discourage the germination of clover seed. —David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 6 June 2026

Although some of the grass blades grow back, the turf rejuvenates itself after every mowing thanks to tillers or new leaves that arise from root crowns. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 4 June 2026

Maintaining your yard by mowing, removing leaf litter, and trimming vegetation reduces tick habitats. —Dan Simms, USA Today, 4 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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.

and Noun

First Known Use

Verb

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

Phrases Containing mow

• mow down
• mow the lawn

Rhymes for mow

• beau
• beaut
• beaux
• blow
• 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)"