[cow] n [ME cou, fr. OE cu; akin to OHG kuo cow, L bos head of cattle, Gk bous, Skt go] (bef. 12c) 1 a: the mature female of cattle (genus Bos) b: the mature female of various usu. large animals (as an elephant, whale, or moose)
2: a domestic bovine animal regardless of sex or age -- cowy adj
[2]cow vt [prob. of Scand origin; akin to Dan kue to subdue] (1605): to destroy the resolve or courage of "the party that Stalin had ~ed --World Press Rev."; also: to bring to a state or an action by intimidation--used with into "like too many Asian armies, adept at ~ing a population into feeding them --Edward Lansdale" syn see intimidate -- cowed.ly adv