cow
♦ cow /k'aʊ/ (cows cowing cowed)
1 [N-COUNT]
A cow is a large female animal that is kept on farms for its milk. People sometimes refer to male and female animals of this species as cows.
Dad went out to milk the cows.
...a herd of cows.
see also cattle
2 [N-COUNT] oft N n
Some female animals, including elephants and whales, are called cows.
...a cow elephant.
3 [N-COUNT]
If someone describes a woman as a cow, they dislike her and think that she is unpleasant or stupid. (INFORMAL, OFFENSIVE)
4 [VERB] be V-ed, V n into n/-ing
If someone is cowed, they are made afraid, or made to behave in a particular way because they have been frightened or badly treated. (FORMAL)
The government, far from being cowed by these threats, has vowed to continue its policy.
...cowing them into submission.
= intimidate
● cowed [ADJ] oft ADJ by n
By this time she was so cowed by the beatings that she meekly obeyed.
5
see also mad cow disease, sacred cowcash cow (cash cows)
[N-COUNT]
In business, a cash cow is a product or investment that steadily continues to be profitable. (BUSINESS)mad cow dis|ease
[N-UNCOUNT]
Mad cow disease is a disease which affects the nervous system of cattle and causes death. (mainly BRIT)
= BSEsa|cred cow (sacred cows)
[N-COUNT]
If you describe a belief, custom, or institution as a sacred cow, you disapprove of people treating it with too much respect and being afraid to criticize or question it.
...the sacred cow of monetarism.
1 [N-COUNT]
A cow is a large female animal that is kept on farms for its milk. People sometimes refer to male and female animals of this species as cows.
Dad went out to milk the cows.
...a herd of cows.
see also cattle
2 [N-COUNT] oft N n
Some female animals, including elephants and whales, are called cows.
...a cow elephant.
3 [N-COUNT]
If someone describes a woman as a cow, they dislike her and think that she is unpleasant or stupid. (INFORMAL, OFFENSIVE)
4 [VERB] be V-ed, V n into n/-ing
If someone is cowed, they are made afraid, or made to behave in a particular way because they have been frightened or badly treated. (FORMAL)
The government, far from being cowed by these threats, has vowed to continue its policy.
...cowing them into submission.
= intimidate
● cowed [ADJ] oft ADJ by n
By this time she was so cowed by the beatings that she meekly obeyed.
5
see also mad cow disease, sacred cowcash cow (cash cows)
[N-COUNT]
In business, a cash cow is a product or investment that steadily continues to be profitable. (BUSINESS)mad cow dis|ease
[N-UNCOUNT]
Mad cow disease is a disease which affects the nervous system of cattle and causes death. (mainly BRIT)
= BSEsa|cred cow (sacred cows)
[N-COUNT]
If you describe a belief, custom, or institution as a sacred cow, you disapprove of people treating it with too much respect and being afraid to criticize or question it.
...the sacred cow of monetarism.