sow

n. [ OE. sowe, suwe, AS. sugu, akin to sū, D. zog, zeug, OHG. sū, G. sau, Icel. s&ymacr_;r, Dan. so, Sw. sugga, so, L. sus. Gr. "y^s, sy^s, Zend. hu boar; probably from the root seen in Skr. sū to beget, to bear; the animal being named in allusion to its fecundity. √294. Cf. Hyena, Soil to stain, Son, Swine.] 1. (Zool.) The female of swine, or of the hog kind. [1913 Webster]

2. (Zool.) A sow bug. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

v. t. [ imp. Sowed p. p. Sown r Sowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Sowing. ] [ OE. sowen, sawen, AS. sāwan; akin to OFries. s&unr_;a, D. zaaijen, OS. & HG. sājan, G. säen, Icel. sā, Sw. så, Dan. saae, Goth. saian, Lith. sēti, Russ. sieiate, L. serere, sevi. Cf. Saturday, Season, Seed, Seminary. ] 1. To scatter, as seed, upon the earth; to plant by strewing; as, to sow wheat. Also used figuratively: To spread abroad; to propagate. “He would sow some difficulty.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

A sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside. Matt. xiii. 3, 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

And sow dissension in the hearts of brothers. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To scatter seed upon, in, or over; to supply or stock, as land, with seeds. Also used figuratively: To scatter over; to besprinkle. [ 1913 Webster ]

The intellectual faculty is a goodly field, . . . and it is the worst husbandry in the world to sow it with trifles. Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ He ] sowed with stars the heaven. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now morn . . . sowed the earth with orient pearl. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To scatter seed for growth and the production of a crop; -- literally or figuratively. [ 1913 Webster ]

They that sow in tears shall reap in joi. Ps. cxxvi. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. See Sowens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Per. sawār a horseman. ] In India, a mounted soldier. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) The red goosefoot (Chenopodium rubrum), -- said to be fatal to swine. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. & v. See Souse. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. soudan. See Soldan. ] Sultan. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]