cow-baby Obs. exc. dial.
Also 7 cow-babe.
[? f. cow n.1 (sense 4 a) + baby.]
A reproachful designation for a timorous person, a coward.
| 1594 Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits (1596) 311 When we will note a man to be a buzzard, and a cow-babie. 1596 Nashe Saffron Walden 129 (Fearfull cowbaby) he neuer heard peice shot off, but hee fell flat on his face. 1614 J. Davies Scourge Folly Wks. (1876) 212 (D.) Peace, lowing cow-babe, lubberly hobberdehoy. 1687 T. Phillips Quix. 85 The tears of a sniveling Cow-baby. 1696 Phillips, Cow..the emblem of a cowardly timorous Fellow, who is called a Cow-baby, a Cow-hearted Fellow. 1863 W. Barnes Dorset Dial. (Philol. Soc.), Cow-beäby, a boy or girl childishly meek-hearted, or mother-sick. One easily cowed. |