Mew1, n.
(mū), n. [A-S. mæw, D. meeuw, N. H. Ger. mewe, O. H. Ger. meu, megi, meh, Dan. maage, Icel. máfr, már, O. Eng. mow.] (Ornith.) A sea-fowl of the genus Larus; a gull.
7 entries under this word
Mew
Mew2, v. t.
(mū), v. t. [Fr. muer, Pr., Sp., & Pg. mudar, It. mudare, from Lat. mutare. See MEW, n.] To shed or cast; to change; to molt, as a bird, its feathers; as, the hawk mewed his feathers.
Nine times the moon had mewed her horns. Dryden.
Mew3, v. i.
(mū), v. i. [See MEW, v. t.] To cast the feathers; to molt; hence, to change; to put on a new appearance.
Mew4, v. t.
(mū), v. t. [imp. & p. p. MEWED; p. pr. & vb. n. MEWING.] [See supra and infra.] To shut up; to inclose; to confine, as in a cage or other inclosure. “More pity that the eagle should be mewed.” Shak. “Close mewed in their sedans, for fear of air.” Dryden.
Mew5, n.
(mū), n. [Fr. mue, change of feathers, scales, skin, the time or place when the change occurs, from muer, from Lat. mutare, to change; Pr., Sp., Pg., & It. muda, L. Lat. muta. See the verb to mew, to shed feathers.]
- A cage for hawks while mewing; hence, an inclosure; place of confinement. [Written also mews.] “Violets in their secret mews.” Wordsworth.
- A place for inclosing or confining horses; a stable; — chiefly used in the plural, and so called from the royal stables in London, which were so named because built where the king’s hawks were once mewed or confined.
- Hence, any place of confinement; an inclosure.
Mew6, v. i.
(mū), v. i. [N. H. Ger. miauen, mauen, M. H. Ger. mâwen, Dan. miaue, miave, Sw. mjama, jama, Icel. miáma, W. mewian.] To cry as a cat. [Written also meaw.]
Thrice the brinded cat hath mewed. Shak.
Mew7, n.
(mū), n. The cry of a cat.
I'd rather be a kitten, and cry mew, Than one of these same meter-ballad-mongers. Shak.