to cut down (grass, crops, etc) with a hand implement or machine - (transitive)
to cut the growing vegetation of (a field, lawn, etc)
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
mow•ing
(mō′ing),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025- Agriculturethe act of leveling or cutting down grass, grain, etc., with a mowing machine or scythe.
- the quantity of grass, grain, etc., cut in a specified period.
- 1375–1425; late Middle English; see mow1, -ing1
mow1 /moʊ/USA pronunciation
v., mowed, mowed or mown/moʊn/USA pronunciation mow•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- Agricultureto cut down (grass, etc.), esp. with a machine: [~ + object]He earned money mowing lawns.[no object]She was out mowing all morning.
- mow down:
- to destroy or kill in great numbers, as in a battle: [~ + object + down]mowed them down with the machine gun.[~ + down + object]mowed down the advancing troops.
- to overwhelm or defeat: [~ + down + object]The pitcher mowed down one batter after another.[~ + object + down]The pitcher mowed them down.
mow1
(mō),USA pronunciation v., mowed, mowed or mown, mow•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
mow2 (mou),USA pronunciation n.
v.t.
mow3 (mou, mō),USA pronunciation [Archaic.]
n.
v.i.
v.t.
- Agricultureto cut down (grass, grain, etc.) with a scythe or a machine.
- Agricultureto cut grass, grain, etc., from:to mow the lawn.
v.i.
- Agricultureto cut down grass, grain, etc.
- mow down:
- to destroy or kill indiscriminately or in great numbers, as troops in battle.
- to defeat, overwhelm, or overcome:The team mowed down its first four opponents.
- to knock down.
- bef. 900; Middle English mowen, Old English māwan; cognate with German mähen
mow2 (mou),USA pronunciation n.
- Agriculturethe place in a barn where hay, sheaves of grain, etc., are stored.
- Agriculturea heap or pile of hay or of sheaves of grain in a barn.
v.t.
- Dialect Terms, Agriculture[Chiefly Northern and North Midland U.S.]to store (hay) in a barn.
- bef. 900; Middle English mow(e), Old English mūwa, mūha, mūga; cognate with Old Norse mūgi swath
mow3 (mou, mō),USA pronunciation [Archaic.]
n.
- a wry or derisive grimace.
v.i.
- to make mows, mouths, or grimaces.
- Frankish; akin to Middle Dutch mouwe protruded lip
- Middle French moue lip, pout, Old French moe
- Middle English mowe 1275–1325
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
- an archaic word for grimace
'mowing' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):