释义 |
▪ I. ow, ou, int.1 ME. and mod.Sc. Also 4 ouȝ, owe, owh. [The mod.Sc. interjection historically written ow, ou, is (uː); from the ambiguity of the spelling ou, ow in ME., it is not certain whether this is the same word.] An exclamation expressing surprise, or some allied emotion. ou ay (mod.Sc.) O yes (in concessive sense). α13..Guy Warw. (A.) st. lxxxii, ‘Owe’, seyd þe king, ‘artow Inglis kniȝt, Þan schuld y þurch skil and riȝt Hate þe euer more’. a1330Otuel 475 ‘Ouȝ’, quaþ roulond, ‘blame me nouȝt’. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 404 Owe, wheþer we shal se Anticrist so myghty! Ibid. 405 Ow, wheþer God, þat is treuþe ordained Cristen men to be marred! 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xiii. 19 ‘Owh! how!’ quaþ ich þo, and myn hefd waggede. β1768Ross Helenore 74 He..says come ben, ow Bydby is that ye? 1814Scott Wav. xxxix, ‘Ow, ay, sir! a bra' night’, replied the lieutenant. 1818― Br. Lamm. xxiv, ‘Reasonable charges!’ said the sexton: ‘ou, there's grund⁓mail—and bell-siller..and the kist—and my day's wark—and my bit fee—’ [etc.]. 1865G. Macdonald A. Forbes 20 Ow, bairn, are ye there yet? ▪ II. ow, int.2|aʊ| [A natural exclamation: cf. O int., oh int. and varr., ow, ou int.1, and ouch int.1] An exclamation expressing sudden pain.
1919G. B. Shaw Great Catherine iii. 146 (Claire twists herself loose; turns on him; and cuffs him furiously) Yow—ow! Have mercy, Little Mother. Ibid. iv. 155 Ow! Youve nearly pulled my teeth out. 1926― Translations & Tomfooleries 239 Reginald. Oh! Oh! Oh! The crocodiles! Stop! Ow! Oh! 1969D. E. Westlake Up your Banners (1970) xviii. 121 She threw another hammerlock on me. ‘Ow,’ I said. 1976R. B. Parker Promised Land (1977) xi. 60, I..hugged her. ‘Ow,’ she said. I eased up a little on the hug. ▪ III. ow obs. form of owe, you. |