* enPR: kou, IPA(key): /kaʊ̯/ * Rhymes: -aʊ

From Middle English _cou_, _cu_, from Old English _cū_ (“cow”), from Proto-Germanic _*kūz_ (“cow”), from Proto-Indo-European _*gʷṓws_ (“cow”). Cognate with Sanskrit _गो_ (go), Ancient Greek βοῦς (boûs), Persian _گاو_ (gāv)), Proto-Slavic _*govędo_ (Serbo-Croatian _govedo_), Scots _coo_ (“cow”), North Frisian _ko_, _kø_ (“cow”), West Frisian _ko_ (“cow”), Dutch _koe_ (“cow”), Low German _Koh, Koo, Kau_ (“cow”), German _Kuh_ (“cow”), Swedish _ko_ (“cow”), Norwegian _ku_ (“cow”), Icelandic _kýr_ (“cow”), Latin _bōs_ (“ox, bull, cow”), Armenian _կով_ (kov, “cow”). NOUN Wikipedia COW (_plural_ COWS _or_ CATTLE) (see usage notes) * A female domesticated ox or other bovine, especially an adult after she has had a calf. * More generally, any domestic bovine regardless of sex or age. * The meat of such animals as food (more commonly called _beef_). * The female of larger species of mammal, including bovines, moose, whales, seals, hippos, rhinos, manatees, and elephants. * (derogatory, informal) A woman who is considered despicable in some way, especially one considered to be fat, lazy, ugly, argumentative, mean or spiteful. * (informal) Anything that is annoyingly difficult, awkward or graceless. _That website is a real COW to navigate._ * (informal) A conniption fit or hissy fit; a state of agitation (only in the phrase HAVE A COW). * (mining) A wedge or brake to stop a machine or car; a chock. (Can we find and add a quotation of Knight to this entry?) USAGE NOTES The plural _cows_ is the normal plural for multiple individuals, while _cattle_ is used in a more collective sense. The umlaut plurals _ky_, _kye_ and _kine_ are archaic and no longer in common use. SYNONYMS * (derogatory: despicable woman): bitch * (informal: anything annoyingly difficult): bastard, bitch, bugger (UK) ANTONYMS * (female domesticated ox or other bovine): bull (male, uncastrated), ox or steer (male, castrated), heifer (female, immature) SEE ALSO * (meat): chicken, pig, pork, goat, lamb, mutton DERIVED TERMS TRANSLATIONS SEE ALSO * Appendix:List of sequenced animal genomes

Probably from Old Norse _kúga_ (“to oppress”) (whence also Danish and Norwegian _kue_, Swedish _kuva_); compare Icelandic _kúfa_ (“to set on top”) and Faroese _kúga_ (“to oppress”). VERB COW (_third-person singular simple present_ COWS, _present participle_ COWING, _simple past and past participle_ COWED) * (transitive) To intimidate; to daunt the spirits or courage of. Found primarily in the passive voice. _Con artists are not COWED by the law._ * Shakespeare To vanquish a people already COWED. TRANSLATIONS

NOUN COW (_plural_ COWS) * (UK, dialect) A chimney cowl. * 1836, Charles Dickens, _The Pickwick Papers_‎ Who could live to gaze from day to day on bricks and slates, who had once felt the influence of a scene like this? Who could continue to exist, where there are no cows but the COWS on the chimneypots; nothing redolent of Pan but pan-tiles; […]

* CWO