1 mow | Definition of mow

mow

noun (1)
\ ˈmau̇ How to pronounce mow (audio) \

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 How to pronounce mow (audio) \
mowed; mowed or mown\ ˈmōn How to pronounce mown (audio) \; 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 How to pronounce mow (audio) , ˈmō How to pronounce mow (audio) \

Definition of mow (Entry 3 of 4)

mow

verb (2)
\ ˈmau̇ How to pronounce mow (audio) , ˈmō How to pronounce mow (audio) \
mowed; mowing; mows

Definition of mow (Entry 4 of 4)

intransitive verb

: to make grimaces

Other Words from mow

Verb (1)

mower \ ˈmō(-​ə)r How to pronounce mower (audio) \ noun

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.

Noun (2)

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

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for mow

mow

noun
\ ˈmau̇ How to pronounce mow (audio) \

Kids Definition of mow

 (Entry 1 of 2)

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

mow

verb
\ ˈmō How to pronounce mow (audio) \
mowed; mowed or mown\ ˈmōn \; mowing

Kids Definition of mow (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to cut down with a blade or machine mow grass
2 : to cut the standing plant cover from mow the lawn
3 : to cause to fall in a violent way The team mowed down their opponents.

Other Words from mow

mower \ ˈmō-​ər \ noun

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on mow

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with mow

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for mow

Spanish Central: Translation of mow

Nglish: Translation of mow for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of mow for Arabic Speakers