from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Sow \Sow\, n. [OE. sowe, suwe, AS. sugu, akin to s[=u], D. zog,
zeug, OHG. s[=u], G. sau, Icel. s[=y]r, Dan. so, Sw. sugga,
so, L. sus. Gr. "y^s, sy^s, Zend. hu boar; probably from the
root seen in Skr. s[=u] to beget, to bear; the animal being
named in allusion to its fecundity. [root]294. Cf. {Hyena},
{Soil} to stain, {Son}, {Swine}.]
1. (Zool.) The female of swine, or of the hog kind.
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2. (Zool.) A sow bug.
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3. (Metal.)
(a) A channel or runner which receives the rows of molds
in the pig bed.
(b) The bar of metal which remains in such a runner.
(c) A mass of solidified metal in a furnace hearth; a
salamander.
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4. (Mil.) 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, or the like. --Craig.
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{Sow bread}. (Bot.) See {Cyclamen}.
{Sow bug}, or {Sowbug} (Zool.), any one of numerous species
of terrestrial {Isopoda} belonging to {Oniscus},
{Porcellio}, and allied genera of the family {Oniscidae}.
They feed chiefly on decaying vegetable substances.
{Sow thistle} [AS. sugepistel] (Bot.), a composite plant
({Sonchus oleraceus}) said to be eaten by swine and some
other animals.
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