▪ I. caw, int. and n.
(kɔː)
Also 7 kaw.
[Imitative.]
1. A representation of the cry of a rook or crow.
| 1676 G. Etherege Man of Mode v. ii. (1684) 80 Methinks I hear the hateful noise Of Rooks already—Kaw—Kaw—Kaw. c 1780 Cowper Jackdaw v, Church, army, physic, law..Is no concern at all of his, And says—what says he?—caw. 1797 G. Colman Br. Grins, Maid of Moor ii, The hoarse crow croaked caw! caw! caw! |
| attrib. 1874 Pusey Lent. Serm. 138 A monotonous, caw-caw repetition of the same lie. |
2. n. The cry or call of a rook, crow, raven, etc.
| 1666 Dryden Ann. Mirab. 87 The dastard crow..With her loud kaws her craven kind does bring. 1820 Keats Fancy 45 Rooks, with busy caw, Foraging for sticks and straw. 1878 J. Buller New Zeal. i. Introd. 17 The song of the lark, the caw of the rook. |
▪ II. caw, v.
(kɔː)
Also 7 kaw.
1. intr. Of rooks, crows, ravens, etc.: To utter their natural cry.
| 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. ii. 22 Russed-pated choughes..(Rising and cawing at the guns report). 16.. Locke (J.), Jackdaws kawing and fluttering about the nests. a 1800 Coleridge Raven, Round and round flew the Raven, and cawed to the blast. 1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. II. 195 The rooks cawed from the..tree tops. |
2. transf. Of persons: To make a similar sound, or one contemptuously likened to it.
| 1589 Pappe w. Hatchet E ij b, Like dawes, you will be cawing a bout Churches. 1756 Wesley Wks. (1872) II. 381 He cawed and cawed, but could utter nothing, hardly three words together. |
3. trans. to caw out: to utter with cawing.
| 1616 B. Holyday Persius 323 [Thou] Hoarsly crow-like caw'st out some idle thing. |
Hence ˈcawing vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1613 W. Browne Brit. Past. i. v, The early rising Crow with clam'rous kawing. 1670 J. Claridge Sheph. of Banbury's Rules iii, The cawing of ravens. 1784 Cowper Task i. 203 Cawing rooks, and kites that swim sublime. a 1861 Clough Lond. Idyll 19 The cawing birds above. |
▪ III. caw
var. of coe, the rot in sheep.
▪ IV. caw
var. of ca', Sc. form of call v.