mow
MediumNeutral, but more common in informal, rural, or mechanical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
to cut down grass or a cereal crop with a scythe or machine.
1) To cut down or kill indiscriminately or in great numbers (often followed by 'down'). 2) To achieve a victory decisively (slang).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb 'mow' has two standard past participles: 'mowed' and 'mown'. 'Mowed' is more common for the past tense and often for the participle in American English, while 'mown' is frequently used as an adjective (e.g., 'newly mown grass').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The noun 'haymow' (part of a barn) is more common in American English.
Connotations
In both varieties, strongly associated with rural life, gardening, and agriculture. The idiom 'mow down' connotes violence and destruction.
Frequency
Similar frequency, tied to domestic gardening and farming contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] mow [NP] (e.g., He mows the grass)[NP] mow [NP] down (e.g., The machine gun mowed them down)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “mow down (to kill or knock down people in large numbers)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in contexts of landscaping, gardening services, or agricultural machinery.
Academic
Rare, potentially in historical or agricultural studies.
Everyday
Common in the context of domestic chores (lawn care).
Technical
Used in agriculture and horticulture.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I need to mow the lawn before it rains.
- The farmer mowed the hayfield at dawn.
American English
- He mows his yard every Saturday.
- The soldiers were mowed down by enemy fire.
adjective
British English
- The scent of mown hay filled the air.
- She loves the look of a freshly mown meadow.
American English
- The smell of mown grass is a sign of summer.
- They played on the mown field.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My father mows the grass in our garden.
- The grass is very long. We must mow it.
- I mowed the lawn yesterday, so it looks neat now.
- He hired a gardener to mow the large field.
- The agricultural machine can mow vast areas of wheat in a single day.
- The champion mowed down all his opponents to win the tournament easily.
- The historical account described how cavalry charges were often mowed down by entrenched machine-gun fire.
- The company's new product swiftly mowed through the competition, capturing 80% of the market share.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the sound a LAWNmower makes – 'MOW-MOW-MOW' – as it cuts the grass.
Conceptual Metaphor
CUTTING IS ELIMINATING (e.g., to mow down the opposition).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'косить' meaning 'to squint'. The primary meaning of 'mow' corresponds to 'косить' (траву).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect past participle: 'I have mowed the lawn' is standard; 'I have mown the lawn' is also correct but less common in AmE.
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The critics were mowed down by the author's brilliant argument,' what does 'mowed down' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are correct past participles. 'Mowed' is more common for the verb form in AmE ("I have mowed"), while 'mown' is often used as an adjective ("mown grass").
Yes, but it's rare and regional. It can refer to a stack of hay or the part of a barn where hay is stored (e.g., haymow), primarily in American English.
'Mow' is specific to cutting grass, hay, or similar crops over an area, typically to ground level. 'Cut' is a general term for using a sharp tool to divide something.
Mostly. While its literal origin is agricultural, its modern figurative use almost always implies killing, injuring, or defeating people or things on a large scale and with ease.