cow English · revision 7394

+ English has two words spelled cow: the female of cattle, inherited from Old English, and the verb meaning to intimidate, probably from Old Norse.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kaʊ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ {{homograph|1|female of cattle}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 800|origins=ine-pro *gʷṓws}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English cu, [[inh|ang|cū|t=cow]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from Proto-Germanic *kwōz, earlier *kwom,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) source also of Old Frisian ku, Dutch [[m|nl|koe]], German [[m|de|Kuh]] and Old Norse [[m|non|kýr]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from PIE [[ine-pro|*gʷṓws|alt=*gwou-|t=ox, bull, cow]], also the source of Latin [[m|la|bos]], Greek [[m|grc|βοῦς|tr=boûs]] and Sanskrit [[m|sa|गो|tr=gáu-]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The female of a bovine animal: before 800 in Barnhart and the OED.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The old plural was kine (ky, kyn), and the plural cows is from 1607.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024) The female of other large animals, such as elephants and whales, is from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) An insulting word for a woman is from the 1690s.^(Etymonline) Word Origins notes the expression ''till the cows come home'', for a very long time.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 800 – a cow.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * late 14th century – the female of other large animals.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1607 – the plural cows.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1690s – an insult for a woman.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A fully grown female of domestic [[cattle]], kept for milk or meat.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The female of certain other large animals, such as the elephant, whale or seal.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(offensive)'' An unpleasant or stupid woman.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cowboy]]

+ * [[cowhide]]

+ * [[cowslip]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|to intimidate}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=1605|origins=non kúga}}

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is probably [[bor|non|kúga|t=to force, oppress]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) compare Danish and Norwegian kue, to cow, subdue,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) of unknown origin;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Etymonline suggests a connection with the Scandinavian words for cow, perhaps from the idea of making docile.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To intimidate: 1605, in Shakespeare's ''Macbeth''.^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline dates it to about 1600.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means to subdue someone's spirit by threats or violence.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1605 – to intimidate.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To frighten into submission; to [[intimidate]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cowed]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cattle]]

+ * [[bovine]]

+ * [[beef]]

+ * [[bugle]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}