What is the difference between calf and cow?
calf | cow |
A young cow or bull.
Leather made of the skin of the calf; especially, a fine, light-coloured leather used in bookbinding.
A young elephant, seal or whale (also used of some other animals).
A chunk of ice broken off of a larger glacier, ice shelf, or iceberg.
A small island, near a larger island.
A cabless railroad engine.
(informal, dated) An awkward or silly boy or young man; any silly person; a dolt.
* Drayton
(anatomy) The back of the leg below the knee.
The muscle in the back of the leg below the knee.
* 1988 , Steve Holman, "Christian Conquers Columbus", , 47 (6): 28-34.
A female domesticated ox or other bovine, especially an adult after she has had a calf.
More generally, any domestic bovine regardless of sex or age.
The meat of such animals as food (more commonly called beef).
The female of larger species of mammal, including bovines, moose, whales, seals, hippos, rhinos, manatees, and elephants.
(derogatory, informal) A woman who is considered despicable in some way, especially one considered to be fat, lazy, ugly, argumentative, mean or spiteful.
(informal) Anything that is annoyingly difficult, awkward or graceless.
(informal) A conniption fit or hissy fit; a state of agitation .
(mining) A wedge or brake to stop a machine or car; a chock.
To intimidate; to daunt the spirits or courage of.
* Shakespeare
(UK, dialect) A chimney cowl.
* 1836 , Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers ?
Cow is a coordinate term of calf.
As nouns the difference between calf and cow
is that calf is a young cow or bull while cow is a female domesticated ox or other bovine, especially an adult after she has had a calf.As a verb cow is
to intimidate; to daunt the spirits or courage of. Found primarily in the passive voice.As an acronym COW is
acronym of w:Copy-on-write|copy-on-write|lang=en.calf
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) cealf, from (etyl) .Noun
(en-noun)- (Kane)
- the Calf of Man
- some silly, doting, brainless calf
Synonyms
*Derived terms
* * * *See also
* cow * vealEtymology 2
(etyl) kalfi, possibly derived from the same Germanic root as ().Noun
(en-noun)- Sure, his calves are a little weak, but the rest of his physique is so overwhelming, he should place high.
cow
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) (m), (m), from (etyl) .Noun
(wikipedia cow) (en-noun) (see usage notes)- That website is a real cow to navigate.
- (Knight)
Usage notes
The plural cows is the normal plural for multiple individuals, while cattle is used in a more collective sense. The umlaut plurals ky, kye and kine are archaic and no longer in common use.Synonyms
* bitch * bastard, bitch, bugger (UK)Antonyms
* (female domesticated ox or other bovine) bullSee also
* (meat) chicken, pig, pork, goat, lamb, muttonDerived terms
(terms derived from "cow") * cowboy * cow catcher, cowcatcher * cow corner * cowgirl * cowherd * cowmilk, cow milk * cowpoke * cowpool * cowpuncher * cowshed * cow shot * cow tipping * cash cow * have a cow * holy cow * sacred cowSee also
* * beef * bovine * bull * calf * cattle * heifer * steer * low * moo * ox * vealEtymology 2
Probably from (etyl) .Verb
(en verb)- Con artists are not cowed by the law.
- To vanquish a people already cowed .
Etymology 3
Noun
(en noun)- Who could live to gaze from day to day on bricks and slates, who had once felt the influence of a scene like this? Who could continue to exist, where there are no cows but the cows on the chimneypots; nothing redolent of Pan but pan-tiles;