▪ I. ow, ou, int.1 ME. and mod.Sc.
Also 4 ouȝ, owe, owh.
[The mod.Sc. interjection historically written ow, ou, is (uː); from the ambiguity of the spelling ou, ow in ME., it is not certain whether this is the same word.]
An exclamation expressing surprise, or some allied emotion. ou ay (mod.Sc.) O yes (in concessive sense).
| α 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) st. lxxxii, ‘Owe’, seyd þe king, ‘artow Inglis kniȝt, Þan schuld y þurch skil and riȝt Hate þe euer more’. a 1330 Otuel 475 ‘Ouȝ’, quaþ roulond, ‘blame me nouȝt’. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 404 Owe, wheþer we shal se Anticrist so myghty! Ibid. 405 Ow, wheþer God, þat is treuþe ordained Cristen men to be marred! 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xiii. 19 ‘Owh! how!’ quaþ ich þo, and myn hefd waggede. |
| β 1768 Ross Helenore 74 He..says come ben, ow Bydby is that ye? 1814 Scott Wav. xxxix, ‘Ow, ay, sir! a bra' night’, replied the lieutenant. 1818 ― Br. Lamm. xxiv, ‘Reasonable charges!’ said the sexton: ‘ou, there's grund⁓mail—and bell-siller..and the kist—and my day's wark—and my bit fee—’ [etc.]. 1865 G. Macdonald A. Forbes 20 Ow, bairn, are ye there yet? |
▪ II. ow, int.2
(aʊ)
[A natural exclamation: cf. O int., oh int. and varr., ow, ou int.1, and ouch int.1]
An exclamation expressing sudden pain.
| 1919 G. B. Shaw Great Catherine iii. 146 (Claire twists herself loose; turns on him; and cuffs him furiously) Yow—ow! Have mercy, Little Mother. Ibid. iv. 155 Ow! Youve nearly pulled my teeth out. 1926 ― Translations & Tomfooleries 239 Reginald. Oh! Oh! Oh! The crocodiles! Stop! Ow! Oh! 1969 D. E. Westlake Up your Banners (1970) xviii. 121 She threw another hammerlock on me. ‘Ow,’ I said. 1976 R. B. Parker Promised Land (1977) xi. 60, I..hugged her. ‘Ow,’ she said. I eased up a little on the hug. |
▪ III. ow
obs. form of owe, you.