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Mow vs Prune - What's the difference?

mow | prune | Related terms |

As verbs the difference between mow and prune

is that mow is to cut something (especially grass or crops) down or knock down while prune is to remove excess material from a tree or shrub; to trim, especially to make more healthy or productive.

As nouns the difference between mow and prune

is that mow is a scornful grimace; a wry face while prune is a plum.

As an initialism MOW

is meals on Wheels.

mow

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) mowen (participle mowen), from (etyl) )

Verb

  • To cut something (especially grass or crops) down or knock down.
    • He mowed the lawn .
    Derived terms
    * mow down

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) (m), from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • *, Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.212:
  • *:Those that paint them dyingdelineate the prisoners spitting in their executioners faces, and making mowes at them.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Make mows at him.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make grimaces, mock.
  • * 1610 , , act 2 scene 2
    • For every trifle are they set upon me: / Sometime like apes that mow and chatter at me, / And after bite me;
  • * Tyndale
    • Nodding, becking, and mowing .

    Etymology 3

    (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A stack of hay, corn, beans or a barn for the storage of hay, corn, beans.
  • The place in a barn where hay or grain in the sheaf is stowed.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • (agriculture) To put into mows.

    • Etymology 4

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (a seagull)
    • (Webster 1913)

    See also

    *

    Anagrams

    * English terms with multiple etymologies

    prune

    English

    (wikipedia prune)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) prune, from (etyl) , a loanword from a language of Asia Minor.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A plum.
  • The dried, wrinkled fruit of certain species of plum.
  • (slang) An old woman, especially a wrinkly one.
    • Synonyms
    * see
    Derived terms
    * German prune * prune tree * pruney * South African prune

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) 'to round-off the front'.

    Verb

    (prun)
  • To remove excess material from a tree or shrub; to trim, especially to make more healthy or productive.
    • A good grape grower will prune his vines once a year.
  • * Milton
    • Our delightful task / To prune these growing plants, and tend these flowers.
  • (figuratively) To cut down or shorten (by the removal of unnecessary material).
    • to prune a budget, or an essay
  • * Francis Bacon
    • taking into consideration how they [laws] are to be pruned and reformed
  • (obsolete) To preen; to prepare; to dress.
  • * Shakespeare
    • His royal bird / Prunes the immortal wing and cloys his beak.
    (Dryden)
    (Spenser)
    Derived terms
    * (l) * (l)

    Anagrams

    * ----