I. ˈbau̇(ə)r, -au̇ə, esp S -au̇wə(r noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English bour bedroom, dwelling, from Old English būr; akin to Old English & Old High German būan to dwell, inhabit, cultivate, Old High German būr dwelling, Old Norse būa to prepare, live, dwell, būr pantry, Gothic bauan to live, dwell, Old English bēon to be — more at be
1. : a rustic cottage : an attractive dwelling or retreat
2. : a lady's private apartment in a medieval hall or castle
3. also bow·ery ˈbau̇(ə)rē, -ri -es
[ bowery alteration (probably influenced by bough & -ery ) of bower ]
: a shelter or covered place in a garden made with boughs of trees or vines twined together : arbor
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
: embower , enclose
intransitive verb
1. obsolete : lodge , dwell
2. of branches : to form bowers
III. ˈbōər, ˈbüər noun
( -s )
Etymology: Scots bow herd of cattle on a farm (from Middle English, from Old Norse bū livestock, household) + English -er — more at bouw
Scotland : one that rents or manages for a share of the profits the dairy stock of a farm
IV. ˈbau̇(ə)r, -au̇ə noun
or bower anchor
( -s )
Etymology: bow (V) + -er
: an anchor carried at the bow
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: German bauer jack (in cards), peasant, from Middle High German būre peasant, from gebūre, from Old High German gibūro, literally, fellow-countryman — more at boor
: the jack of trumps or of the other suit of the same color in euchre and five hundred — compare left bower , right bower