1. [n]  mature female of mammals of which the male is called `bull'
2. [n]  female of domestic cattle: "`moo-cow' is a child's term"
3. [n]  a large unpleasant woman
4. [v]  subdue, restrain, or overcome by affecting with a feeling of awe

1. \Cow\ (kou), n. [See {Cowl} a hood.]
   A chimney cap; a cowl
   

2. \Cow\, n.; pl. {Cows} (kouz); old pl. {Kine} (k[imac]n).
   [OE. cu, cou, AS. c[=u]; akin to D. koe, G. kuh, OHG. kuo,
   Icel. k[=y]r, Dan. & Sw. ko, L. bos ox, cow, Gr. boy^s, Skr.
   g[=o]. [root]223. Cf. {Beef}, {Bovine}, {Bucolic}, {Butter},
   {Nylghau}.]
   1. The mature female of bovine animals.
   2. The female of certain large mammals, as whales, seals,
      etc.
   

3. \Cow\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cowed} (koud);; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Cowing}.] [Cf. Icel. kuga, Sw. kufva to check, subdue, Dan.
   kue. Cf. {Cuff}, v. t.]
   To depress with fear; to daunt the spirits or courage of; to
   overawe.
         To vanquish a people already cowed.      --Shak.
         THe French king was cowed.               --J. R. Green.
   

4. \Cow\, n. [Prob. from same root as cow, v. t.] (Mining)
   A wedge, or brake, to check the motion of a machine or car; a
   chock. --Knight.
   

A cow and her calf were not to be killed on the same day (Lev. 22:28; Ex. 23:19; Deut. 22:6, 7). The reason for this enactment is not given. A state of great poverty is described in the words of Isa. 7:21-25, where, instead of possessing great resources, a man shall depend for the subsistence of himself and his family on what a single cow and two sheep could yield.