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cow

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cow

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++
Related topics: Animals
cow1 /kaʊ/ ●●● S2 noun [countable]  1. cow.jpg HBAa large female animal that is kept on farms and used to produce milk or meat 母牛,奶牛 bull2 HBAa male or female animal of this type bull a herd of cows 一群牛3. HBAthe female of some large animals, such as the elephant or the whale 大型雌性动物〔如象、鲸等〕bull4. UNPLEASANT British English spoken not polite an offensive word for a woman who you think is stupid or unpleasant 蠢女人;泼妇5. have a cow SURPRISED informal to be very angry or surprised about something 非常生气;非常吃惊6. till the cows come home informalLONG TIME for a very long time, or for ever 长时间地;无限期地;永远 cash cow, mad cow disease, sacred cownCOLLOCATIONStypes of cow dairy cows (=kept for their milk)He keeps a herd of dairy cows.beef cows (=kept for their meat)They are a well-known breed of beef cow.verbsmilk a cow (=get the milk from a cow)Once a day, the cows are brought in to be milked.a cow moos (=makes a long low sound)I could hear cows mooing in the barn.a cow grazes (=eats the grass)Cows were grazing peacefully in the meadows.a cow calves (=produces a calf, a young cow)At this time of year the cows are calving.phrasesa herd of cows (=a group that are together somewhere)We had to wait while a farmer brought a herd of cows across the bridge.
Examples from the Corpus
cowArizona Game and Fish is offering a $ 500 reward for information on a cow elk poaching near Payson about April 17.Suet, I believe, is cow fat.This part of West London seemed like the country to me, with none of the disadvantages, no cows or farmers.a field full of cowsAs the cows waited for their turn, the milk fell in drops on the ground.
cow2 verb [transitive]  THREATENto frighten someone in order to make them do something 恐吓,威胁be cowed into something The protesters had been cowed into submission by the police. 抗议者在警察的威胁下屈服了。nGrammar Cow is usually passive.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
cowHe should have been cowed and compromised by fear and debt, but he was not.She was a big ill-tempered animal cowed by a presence more threatening and a temper more volatile than her own.Yet they do not appear to have been cowed by systems or professionals.The men might be cowed for the time being.Dissidents were cowed into silence by the army.Rather than jump to morbid conclusions, I let him cow me into accepting his version of the incident.And maybe they would be cowed not only by the discipline but by the man who wielded it.For decades it has cowed public employees, left them docile, passive, and bitter.cowed into submissionThey - whoever they were - had underestimated her if they thought she could be cowed into submission by threats and violence.
Origin cow1 Old English cu cow2 (1500-1600) Probably from a Scandinavian language
kept is large that a animal female Corpus


cow
I
cow1 S2 /kaʊ/ noun [countable]
 Language: Old English
 Origin: cu

1. a large female animal that is kept on farms and used to produce milk or meat ⇨ bull
2. a male or female animal of this type ⇨ bull:
    a herd of cows
3. the female of some large animals, such as the elephant or the whalebull
4. British English spoken not polite an offensive word for a woman who you think is stupid or unpleasant
5. have a cow informal to be very angry or surprised about something
6. till the cows come home informal for a very long time, or for ever
cash cow, mad cow disease, sacred cow
     
COLLOCATIONS
■ types of cow
    dairy cows (=kept for their milk) He keeps a herd of dairy cows.
    beef cows (=kept for their meat) They are a well-known breed of beef cow.
■ verbs
    milk a cow (=get the milk from a cow) Once a day, the cows are brought in to be milked.
    a cow moos (=makes a long low sound) I could hear cows mooing in the barn.
    a cow grazes (=eats the grass) Cows were grazing peacefully in the meadows.
    a cow calves (=produces a calf, a young cow) At this time of year the cows are calving.
■ phrases
    a herd of cows (=a group that are together somewhere) We had to wait while a farmer brought a herd of cows across the bridge.

II
cow2 verb [transitive usually passive]
 Date: 1500-1600
 Origin: Probably from a Scandinavian language
to frighten someone in order to make them do something
    cow somebody into something
    The protesters had been cowed into submission by the police.


🔑 cowBrE /kaʊ/ 🔊NAmE /kaʊ/ 🔊 noun🔑 a large animal kept on farms to produce milk or beef 母牛;奶牛;菜牛;肉牛cow's milk牛奶a herd of dairy cows (= cows kept for their milk) 一群奶牛   compare bull (1) , calf (2) , heifer   see also cattle the female of the elephant, whale and some other large animals 雌象;雌鲸;大型雌性动物   compare bull (2) (slang, disapproving) an offensive word for a woman 婆娘;娘儿们You stupid cow! 你这蠢婆娘!🔊🔊(AustralE, NZE) an unpleasant person, thing or situation 讨厌的人(或事物、情况)   see also cash cow, sacred cow have a ˈcow(NAmE, informal) to become very angry or anxious about sth 暴跳如雷;焦虑不安Don't have a cowit's no big deal. 别发火,没什么大不了。🔊🔊till the ˈcows come home(informal) for a very long time; for ever 很长时间;永远
🔑 cowBrE /kaʊ/ 🔊NAmE /kaʊ/ 🔊 verbpresent simple - I / you / we / they cow BrE /kaʊ/ 🔊 NAmE /kaʊ/ 🔊present simple - he / she / it cows BrE /kaʊz/ 🔊 NAmE /kaʊz/ 🔊past simple cowed BrE /kaʊd/ 🔊 NAmE /kaʊd/ 🔊past participle cowed BrE /kaʊd/ 🔊 NAmE /kaʊd/ 🔊 -ing form cowing BrE /ˈkaʊɪŋ/ 🔊 NAmE /ˈkaʊɪŋ/ 🔊 [usually passive] ~ sb to frighten sb in order to make them obey you 恐吓;吓唬;威胁;胁迫 SYN intimidate She was easily cowed by people in authority. 她很容易被有权势的人吓住。🔊🔊