to cow
- verb
- /kaʊ/
- For a moment, his face was transfigured with rage; then, somewhat cowed, he complied with her request.
As simple as that statement was, I was just cowed.
- As simple as that statement was, I was just cowed.
- And people were scared, they were vulnerable, they were cowed.
Examples
-
The institutional church represented such authority that its members were usually cowed into submission before it.
Academic text (1998) -
We were sufficiently cowed by the thought of what Halmoneh could be saying.
Fiction book (2000) -
The bully in him had tried to cow her, and she had not allowed it.
Fiction book (1990) -
And we still agreed, although I doubt that she was ever cowed into agreement by the force of my opinion.
Academic text (1993) -
Before every visit, Kate had to brace herself not to feel cowed in her presence.
Fiction book (1997) -
Kane looked ashamed to be cowed by someone smaller than he was.
Fiction book (1995) -
Soldiers hurl abuse; the people are too cowed to show support.
Fiction book (1991) -
The townspeople, cowed into fear or in need of employment, didn't do anything.
-
"Well, it is," he muttered lamely, cowed by the look in her eyes.
Fiction book (1990) -
The threats of violence were meant to cow the witnesses into silence.
Synonyms
To make someone feel small or afraid by showing great power
Antonyms
Idioms
Compounds
- Specialized
A deadly disease of cows that damages the brain and can make people sick if they eat the meat
- Offensive
A college that teaches farming and is often called low quality as an insult
- US
A tall wild plant with thick stems and white or purple flower groups that can irritate your skin
- UK
A small European annual plant with pale pink flowers that often grows as a weed in grain fields
- US
A water plant with broad floating leaves and round yellow flowers that grows in quiet ponds
- US
A medium to large tree that grows in eastern United States with strong wood for baskets and chair seats
- UK
A tall plant with clusters of small white flowers that grows wild by roads and fields
- Specialized
A fern with long flat pale green leaves that grows on trees or on the ground in warm places
- Jargon
A very simple model that ignores real details to explain something, often as a joke
How Intimidating
- NSFW
- Offensive
Surface Forms
Etymology
Cow as a verb meaning 'to frighten' grew from the animal image: think of making someone behave like a tamed, quiet animal; that's why to 'cow' someone is to intimidate them into submission.