Cowbird Cow"bird` (-bẽrd`)
noun (Zoology) The cow blackbird ( Molothrus ater ), an American starling. Like the European cuckoo, it builds no nest, but lays its eggs in the nests of other birds; -- so called because frequently associated with cattle.
Cowblakes Cow"blakes` (-blāks`)
noun plural Dried cow dung used as fuel. [ Prov. Eng.]
Simmonds.
Cowboy Cow"boy` (-boi`)
noun 1. A cattle herder; a drover; specifically, one of an adventurous class of herders and drovers on the plains of the Western and Southwestern United States. 2. One of the marauders who, in the Revolutionary War infested the neutral ground between the American and British lines, and committed depredations on the Americans.
Cowcatcher Cow"catch`er noun A strong inclined frame, usually of wrought-iron bars, in front of a locomotive engine, for catching or throwing off obstructions on a railway, as cattle; the pilot. [ U.S.]
Cowdie Cow"die (kou"dȳ)
noun (Botany) See Kauri .
Cower Cow"er (kou"ẽr)
intransitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Cowered (kou"ẽrd);
present participle & verbal noun Cowering .] [ Confer Icelandic
kera to doze, liequiet, Swedish
kura , Danish
kure , G.
kauern to cower, W.
cwrian .]
To stoop by bending the knees; to crouch; to squat; hence, to quail; to sink through fear. Our dame sits cowering o'er a kitchen fire.
Dryden.
Like falcons, cowering on the nest.
Goldsmith.
Cower Cow"er (kou"ẽr)
transitive verb To cherish with care. [ Obsolete]
Cowfish Cow"fish` (-fĭsh`)
noun (Zoology) (a) The grampus. (b) A California dolphin ( Tursiops Gillii ). (c) A marine plectognath fish ( Ostracoin quadricorne , and allied species), having two projections, like horns, in front; -- called also cuckold , coffer fish , trunkfish .
Cowhage Cow"hage (kou"haj)
noun [ Confer Hind.
kawanch ,
koānch .]
(Botany) A leguminous climbing plant of the genus Mucuna , having crooked pods covered with sharp hairs, which stick to the fingers, causing intolerable itching. The spiculæ are sometimes used in medicine as a mechanical vermifuge. [ Written also
couhage ,
cowage , and
cowitch .]
Cowhearted Cow"heart`ed adjective Cowardly. The Lady Powis . . . patted him with her fan, and called him a cowhearted fellow.
R. North.
Cowherd Cow"herd` noun [ Anglo-Saxon
cūhyrde ;
cū cow +
hyrde a herder.]
One whose occupation is to tend cows.
Cowhide Cow"hide` noun 1. The hide of a cow. 2. Leather made of the hide of a cow. 3. A coarse whip made of untanned leather.
Cowhide Cow"hide` transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Cowhided ;
present participle & verbal noun Cowhiding .]
To flog with a cowhide.
Cowish Cow"ish (kou"ĭsh)
adjective [ From
Cow ,
transitive verb ]
Timorous; fearful; cowardly. [ R.]
Shak.
Cowish Cow"ish noun (Botany) An umbelliferous plant ( Peucedanum Cous ) with edible tuberous roots, found in Oregon. [ Written also
cous .]
Cowitch Cow"itch noun (Botany) See Cowhage .
Cowl Cowl (koul)
noun [ Anglo-Saxon
cuhle ,
cugle ,
cugele ; confer dial. G.
kogel ,
gugel , Old French
coule ,
goule ; all from Late Latin
cuculla ,
cucullus , from Latin
cucullus cap, hood; perhaps akin to
celare to conceal,
cella cell. Confer
Cucullate .]
1. A monk's hood; -- usually attached to the gown. The name was also applied to the hood and garment together. What differ more, you cry, than crown and cowl ?
Pope.
2. A cowl-shaped cap, commonly turning with the wind, used to improve the draft of a chimney, ventilating shaft, etc. 3. A wire cap for the smokestack of a locomotive.
Cowl Cowl noun [ Confer Old French
cuvele ,
cuvel , dim. of F.
cuve tub, vat, from Latin
cupa . See
Cup .]
A vessel carried on a pole between two persons, for conveyance of water. Johnson.
Cowled Cowled (kould)
adjective Wearing a cowl; hooded; as, a cowled monk. "That
cowled churchman."
Emerson.
Cowleech Cow"leech` noun [ 2d
cow + leech a physician.]
One who heals diseases of cows; a cow doctor.
Cowleeching Cow"leech`ing noun Healing the distemper of cows.
Cowlick Cow"lick` noun A tuft of hair turned up or awry (usually over the forehead), as if licked by a cow.
Cowlike Cow"like` adjective Resembling a cow. With cowlike udders and with oxlike eyes.
Pope.
Cowlstaff Cowl"staff` noun [
Cowl a vessel +
staff .]
A staff or pole on which a vessel is supported between two persons. Suckling.
Coworker Co`work"er noun One who works with another; a co...perator.
Cowpea Cow"pea` (-pē`)
noun The seed of one or more leguminous plants of the genus Dolichos ; also, the plant itself. Many varieties are cultivated in the southern part of the United States.
Cowpea Cow"pea` noun (Botany) A leguminous plant ( Vigna Sinensis , syn. V. Catjang ) found throughout the tropics of the Old World. It is extensively cultivated in the Southern United States for fodder, and the seed is used as food for man.
Cowper's glands Cow"per's glands` (kou"p?rz gl?ndz`). [ After the discoverer, William Cowper , an English surgeon.] (Anat.) Two small glands discharging into the male urethra.
Cowpock Cow"pock` (-pŏk`)
noun See Cowpox . Dunglison.
Cowpox Cow"pox` (-pŏks`)
noun (Medicine) A pustular eruptive disease of the cow, which, when communicated to the human system, as by vaccination, protects from the smallpox; vaccinia; -- called also kinepox , cowpock , and kinepock . Dunglison.
Cowquake Cow"quake` (-kwāk`)
noun (Botany) A genus of plants ( Briza ); quaking grass.
Cowrie Cow"rie (-rȳ)
noun (Botany) Same as Kauri .
Cowrie, Cowry Cow"rie, Cow"ry (kou"rȳ)
noun ;
plural Cowries (- rĭz). [ Hind.
kaurī .]
(Zoology) A marine shell of the genus Cypræa . » There are numerous species, many of them ornamental. Formerly
C. moneta and several other species were largely used as money in Africa and some other countries, and they are still so used to some extent. The value is always trifling, and varies at different places.
Cowslip Cow"slip` (-slĭp`)
noun [ Anglo-Saxon
cūslyppe ,
cūsloppe , probably orig., cow's droppings. Confer
Slop ,
noun ]
(Botany) 1. A common flower in England ( Primula veris ) having yellow blossoms and appearing in early spring. It is often cultivated in the United States. 2. In the United States, the marsh marigold ( Caltha palustris ), appearing in wet places in early spring and often used as a pot herb. It is nearer to a buttercup than to a true cowslip. See Illust. of Marsh marigold . American cowslip (Botany) ,
a pretty flower of the West ( Dodecatheon Meadia ), belonging to the same order ( Primulaceæ ) with the English cowslip. --
French cowslip (Botany) ,
bear's-ear ( Primula Auricula ).
Cowslipped Cow"slipped` (-slĭpt`)
adjective Adorned with cowslips. "
Cowslipped lawns."
Keats.
Cowweed Cow"weed" (-wEd`),,
noun (Botany) Same as Cow parsley .
Cowwheat Cow"wheat` noun (Botany) A weed of the genus Melampyrum , with black seeds, found on European wheatfields.
Cox Cox noun [ Middle English
cokes . Confer
Coax .]
A coxcomb; a simpleton; a gull. [ Obsolete]
Go; you're a brainless cox , a toy, a fop.
Beau. & Fl.
Coxa Cox"a noun [ Latin , the hip.]
(Zoology) The first joint of the leg of an insect or crustacean.
Coxalgia Cox·al"gi·a noun [ New Latin
coxalgia , from Latin
coxa hip. + Greek ......... pain: confer French
coxalgie .]
(Medicine) Pain in the hip.
Coxcomb Cox"comb` noun [ A corrupted spelling of
cock's comb .]
1. (a) A strip of red cloth notched like the comb of a cock, which licensed jesters formerly wore in their caps. (b) The cap itself. 2. The top of the head, or the head itself .
We will belabor you a little better,
And beat a little more care into your coxcombs .
Beau & Fl.
3. A vain, showy fellow; a conceited, silly man, fond of display; a superficial pretender to knowledge or accomplishments; a fop. Fond to be seen, she kept a bevy
Of powdered coxcombs at her levee.
Goldsmith.
Some are bewildered in the maze of schools,
And some made coxcombs , nature meant but fools.
Pope.
4. (Botany) A name given to several plants of different genera, but particularly to Celosia cristata , or garden cockscomb. Same as Cockscomb .
Coxcombical Cox·comb"ic·al adjective Befitting or indicating a coxcomb; like a coxcomb; foppish; conceited. --
Cox*comb"ic*al*ly ,
adverb Studded all over in coxcombical fashion with little brass nails.
W. Irving.
Coxcombly Cox"comb"ly adjective like a coxcomb. [ Obsolete] "You
coxcombly ass, you!"
Beau. & Fl.
Coxcombry Cox"comb`ry noun The manners of a coxcomb; foppishness.
Coxcomical Cox·com"ic·al adjective Coxcombical. [ R.]
Coxcomically Cox·com"ic·al·ly adverb Conceitedly. [ R.]
Coxswain Cox"swain` noun See Cockswain .
Coy Coy (koi)
adjective [ Middle English
coi quiet, still, Old French
coi ,
coit , from Latin quietus quiet, past participle of
quiescere to rest,
quie rest; probably akin to English
while . See
While , and confer
Quiet ,
Quit ,
Quite .]
1. Quiet; still. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer. 2. Shrinking from approach or familiarity; reserved; bashful; shy; modest; -- usually applied to women, sometimes with an implication of coquetry. Coy , and difficult to win.
Cowper.
Coy and furtive graces.
W. Irving.
Nor the coy maid, half willings to be pressed,
Shall kiss the cup, to pass it to the rest.
Goldsmith.
3. Soft; gentle; hesitating. Enforced hate,
Instead of love's coy touch, shall rudely tear thee.
Shak.
Syn. -- Shy; shriking; reserved; modest; bashful; backward; distant.
Coy Coy transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Coyed (koid);
present participle & verbal noun Coying .]
1. To allure; to entice; to decoy. [ Obsolete]
A wiser generation, who have the art to coy the fonder sort into their nets.
Bp. Rainbow.
2. To caress with the hand; to stroke. Come sit thee down upon this flowery bed,
While I thy amiable cheeks do coy .
Shak.
Coy Coy intransitive verb 1. To behave with reserve or coyness; to shrink from approach or familiarity. [ Obsolete]
Thus to coy it,
With one who knows you too!
Rowe.
2. To make difficulty; to be unwilling. [ Obsolete]
If he coyed
To hear Cominius speak, I 'll keep at home.
Shak.
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