sow

Meanings

Noun

• A female pig.
• A female bear, she-bear.
• A female guinea pig.
• A channel that conducts molten metal to molds.
• A mass of metal solidified in a mold.
• A contemptible, often fat woman.
• A sowbug.
• A kind of covered shed, formerly used by besiegers in filling up and passing the ditch of a besieged place, sapping and mining the wall, etc.

Verb

• To scatter, disperse, or plant (seeds).
• To spread abroad; to propagate.
• To scatter over; to besprinkle.

Related

Similar words

• ingot
• bitch, cow
• plant, scatter

Origin

• From Middle English sowe, from Old English sugu, from Proto-Germanic *sugō (compare West Frisian sûch, Dutch zeug, Low German Söög, German Sau, Swedish sugga, Norwegian sugge), from Proto-Indo-European *suh₂kéh₂ (compare Welsh hwch ("pig"), Sanskrit सूकर ("swine, boar")), from *suH- ‘pig’ (compare German Sau, Latin sūs, Tocharian B suwo, Ancient Greek ὗς, Albanian thi, Avestan 𐬵𐬏 ("boar"). See also swine.
• From Middle English sowen, from Old English sāwan, from Proto-Germanic *sēaną, from Proto-Indo-European *seh₁-. Compare Dutch zaaien, German säen, Danish så, Norwegian Bokmål så.