mow

noun (1)

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\ ˈmau̇

Definition of mow

(Entry 1 of 4)

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

verb (1)

\ ˈmō

mowed; mowed or mown\ ˈmōn

\; mowing

Definition of mow (Entry 2 of 4)

transitive verb

1a : to cut down with a scythe or sickle or machine

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

2a(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)

mow

noun (2)

\ ˈmau̇

, ˈmō

Definition of mow (Entry 3 of 4)

: grimace

mow

verb (2)

\ ˈmau̇

, ˈmō

mowed; mowing; mows

Definition of mow (Entry 4 of 4)

intransitive verb

: to make grimaces

Other Words from mow Phrases Containing mow Learn More About mow

First Known Use of mow

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

History and Etymology for mow

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.