| 释义 |
cow-baby Obs. exc. dial.
Also 7 cow-babe.
[? f. cow n.1 (sense 4 a) + baby.]
A reproachful designation for a timorous person, a coward.
1594Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits (1596) 311 When we will note a man to be a buzzard, and a cow-babie. 1596Nashe Saffron Walden 129 (Fearfull cowbaby) he neuer heard peice shot off, but hee fell flat on his face. 1614J. Davies Scourge Folly Wks. (1876) 212 (D.) Peace, lowing cow-babe, lubberly hobberdehoy. 1687T. Phillips Quix. 85 The tears of a sniveling Cow-baby. 1696Phillips, Cow..the emblem of a cowardly timorous Fellow, who is called a Cow-baby, a Cow-hearted Fellow. 1863W. Barnes Dorset Dial. (Philol. Soc.), Cow-beäby, a boy or girl childishly meek-hearted, or mother-sick. One easily cowed. |