COW

n. 1 a fully grown female of any bovine animal, esp. of the genus Bos, used as a source of milk and beef. 2 the female of other large animals, esp. the elephant, whale, and seal. 3 derog. sl. a a woman esp. a coarse or unpleasant one. b Austral. & NZ an unpleasant person, thing, situation, etc. øcow-fish 1 any of several small plant-eating mammals, e.g. the manatee. 2 a marine fish, Lactoria diaphana, covered in hard bony plates and having hornlike spines over the eyes and on other parts of the body. cow-heel the foot of a cow or an ox stewed to a jelly. cow-lick a projecting lock of hair. cow-parsley a hedgerow plant Anthriscus sylvestris, having lacelike umbels of flowers: also called Queen Anne's lace. cow-pat a flat round piece of cow-dung. cow-tree a tree, Brosimum galactodendron, native to S. America, yielding a milklike juice which is used as a substitute for cow's milk. cow-wheat any plant of the genus Melampyrum, esp. M. pratense growing on heathland. till the cows come home colloq. an indefinitely long time. [OE cu f. Gmc, rel. to L bos, Gk bous]