cower
Look at other dictionaries:
Cower — Cow er (kou [ e]r), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Cowered} (kou [ e]rd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Cowering}.] [Cf. Icel. kera to doze, liequiet, Sw. kura, Dan. kure, G. kauern to cower, W. cwrian.] To stoop by bending the knees; to crouch; to squat; hence, to… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Cower — Cow er (kou [ e]r), v. t. To cherish with care. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
cower — c.1300, probably from M.L.G. *kuren lie in wait (Ger. kauern), or similar Scandinavian words meaning to squat and to doze (Cf. O.N. kura, Dan., Norw. kure, Swed. kura). Thus unrelated to coward. Related: Cowered; cowering … Etymology dictionary
cower — cringe, truckle, *fawn, toady Analogous words: shrink, quail, flinch, blench, wince, *recoil Contrasted words: cow, bully, bulldoze, browbeat, *intimidate: *strut, swagger, bristle … New Dictionary of Synonyms
cower — [v] hide, hover in fear apple polish*, blench, bootlick*, brownnose*, cringe, crouch, draw back, fawn, flinch, grovel, honey*, kowtow*, quail*, recoil, shrink, skulk, sneak, toady*, tremble, truckle, wince; concepts 188,384 Ant. come out … New thesaurus
cower — ► VERB ▪ crouch down or shrink back in fear. ORIGIN Low German k ren lie in wait … English terms dictionary
cower — [kou′ər] vi. [ME couren, prob. < ON base seen in Dan kūre, Sw kura, to squat; akin to Ger kauern < IE base * geu , to curve, bend > COD2, CHICKEN] 1. to crouch or huddle up, as from fear or cold 2. to shrink and tremble, as from someone… … English World dictionary
cower — UK [ˈkaʊə(r)] / US [ˈkaʊr] verb [intransitive] Word forms cower : present tense I/you/we/they cower he/she/it cowers present participle cowering past tense cowered past participle cowered to move your body down and away from someone or something… … English dictionary
cower — verb To crouch or cringe in fear. Hed be useless in war. Hed just cower in his bunker until the enemy came in and shot him, or until the war was over … Wiktionary
cower — cow|er [ˈkauə US ər] v [Date: 1200 1300; : Middle Low German; Origin: kuren [i] to lie hidden ] to bend low and move back because you are frightened cower back/against/under etc ▪ He cowered against the wall … Dictionary of contemporary English
