▪ I. frow, n.
(fraʊ)
Forms: 4, 6–8 frow(e, 6–8 fro(e, (7 frau, phraw), 7– frow.
[ad. Du. vrouw = Ger. frau lady, woman, wife.]
1. A Dutchwoman.
| 1390 Will of M. Quellyngbourgh (Comm. Crt. Lond.), Margareta Quellyngbourgh Frowe. 1477 Paston Lett. No. 792 III. 181 The frowys of Broggys, with there hye cappes. 1605 Lond. Prodigal v. i, By this light a Dutch frow; they say they are called kind. 1617 Middleton & Rowley Fair Quarrel iii. ii. 1 [To a Dutch nurse] Sweet fro, to your most indulgent care Take this my heart's joy. c 1681 Roxb. Ball. (1891) VII. 490 In Holland a Phraw he did wed, a couple he marri'd in Cailes. 1796 Campaigns 1793-4 I. i. ii. 7 The skippers and frows flocked in crowds to the pier. |
2. A woman, a lady; a wife. Chiefly of Dutch or German women, or of others compared to them.
| 1587 Harrison England ii. ix. (1877) i. 189 Saxon princes began to ioine in matrimonie with the British ladies, as the British barons did with the Saxon frowes. 1639 H. Glapthorne Wallenstein iii. ii, I've known him..for all this heat 'Gainst woman-hood, pursue a sutlers froe. 1666 tr. Horace's Odes viii. ii, The sun-burnt froe Of him that was chose Consul from the plough. 1708 E. Cook Sot-weed Factor (1865) 21 We scarce had play'd a Round about, But that these Indian Froes fell out. 1831 E. J. Trelawny Adv. Younger Son I. 168 Old Saboo there keeps himself, and frow, and half a score of young ones. |
† 3. Applied to the Mænads or Bacchantes of classical paganism; also transf.
| 1567 Turberv. Ovid's Ep. 114 The frantike fro, Whome fell Erichtho hath in chase. 1589 Pasquil's Ret. D, Some gadded vppe and downe the streetes, like Bacchus Froes. 1606 Chapman M. D'Olive Plays 1873 I. 208 The Ladies of this land would teare him peece-meal (As did the drunken Froes, the Thratian Harper). 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. viii. 117 The frantick British Froes, their hair disheuelled With fire-brands ran about. a 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Wit at Sev. Weapons v. i, They are now Buxsome as Bachus Froes—revelling, dancing. |
4. dial. (See quot.)
| 1781 J. Hutton Tour to Caves Gloss. Frow sb., an idle, dirty woman. c 1795 ? Porson Horace Odes i. xxvii. in Spirit Publ. Jrnls. (1799) I. 142 And were your girl the dirtiest drab..Out with it..What? is it she? the filthy frow. |
▪ II. † frow, adv. Obs. rare—1.
[Cf. ON. frá-r adj., quick.]
Hastily.
| c 1325 Earth i. in E.E.P. (1862) 150 Erþ vp erþ falliþ fol frow [glossed festine]. |
▪ III. frow
see froe, frough.