verb
mow
MOH
Mow (verb) means to cut grass or crops close to the ground. Example: “He mows the lawn every Saturday morning.”
verb
1
To cut grass or crops close to the ground.
"He mows the lawn every Saturday morning."
"Just let me wake up in the morning to the smell of new-mown hay."
— “Skyline Pigeon”, Skyline Pigeon (1969)
"He mowed the lawn every few weeks in the summer."
2
To kill or knock down in large numbers, often violently (usually as "mow down").
"The car mowed down several pedestrians on the sidewalk."
How to use mow
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo cut grass short, or to strike down forcefully in numbers.
Common pairings
mow the lawn
mow down
mow the grass
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like mow.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- mows
- Third person singular
- mows
- Past tense
- mowed, mown
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He _____ the lawn every Saturday morning.
Etymology
From Old English māwan, "to mow, reap," a very old word shared across Germanic languages and related to Latin metō, "to harvest."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “mow” mean?
The word “mow” means to cut grass or crops close to the ground. In plain terms, to cut grass short, or to strike down forcefully in numbers.
How do you pronounce “mow”?
“Mow” is pronounced MOH (/ˈmoʊ̯/ in IPA).
How do you use “mow” in a sentence?
Here is “mow” used in a sentence: “He mows the lawn every Saturday morning.”
What part of speech is “mow”?
“Mow” is a verb.
Where does the word “mow” come from?
The word “mow” comes from Latin. From Old English māwan, "to mow, reap," a very old word shared across Germanic languages and related to Latin metō, "to harvest.".
How many meanings does “mow” have?
“Mow” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to cut grass or crops close to the ground.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include mow:
