cower
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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 — index fear Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
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 — 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
