1872 in G. L. Meredith Adv. in Maoriland (1935) iii. 22 History does not report what induced the solitary Chinaman to take up his abode amongst the hardy Scots at Dunedin. Possibly this ‘Chow’ wanted to study economy in its higher branches.

1894 Bulletin (Sydney) 5 May 13/3 I tole 'im 'e was a blanky Chow. Then 'e biffed me.

1906 E. Dyson Fact'ry 'Ands xv. 198 They're [rats] ez thick ez flees on er Chow's dorg.

1916 C. J. Dennis Moods of Ginger Mick i. 15 Noiseless Chows a-glidin' 'round wiv plates uv duck an' fowl.

1921 Chambers's Jrnl. 690/1 The pearling-crews can get from Japs and Chows all the drink they want.

1921 Chambers's Jrnl. 718/1 Always have a Chow for your cook in these parts of the world.

1936 M. Franklin All that Swagger xii. 112 I never saw a chow riding.

1945 S. J. Baker Austral. Lang. x. 185 The many expressions we have developed..for the Chinese: chink, chinkie, chow, chow-chow, [etc.].

1856 Spirit of Age (Sacramento, Calif.) 27 Nov. 2/2 Ah Chow—ah in the Celestial lingo means Mr, Chow something good to eat.]

1886 H. Yule & A. C. Burnell Hobson-Jobson 164/2 Chow is in ‘pigeon’ applied to food of any kind.

1892 D. B. W. Sladen Japs at Home iv. 45 More chow..had been laid at our feet... This time it was..a sort of custard soup containing chicken [etc.].

1897 Outing 30 209/1 The ‘chow’ served at the wayside tea-houses.

1926 Chambers's Jrnl. 213/2 Here were pots of boiling oil, chow, and mushrooms.

1926 M. Leinster Dew on Leaf 149 She took her chow-bowl into the kitchen.

1955 Times 3 May 12/5 She derived much pleasure from serving visitors with Chinese ‘chow’ and merriment from watching them use chopsticks.

1958 Landfall 12 120 That night at chow time, Rankin called along to Tiny.

1889 Pall Mall Gaz. 18 June 2/1 One half the pack ran into an unlucky chow-dog.

1897 Westm. Gaz. 18 May 2/1 The very chow-pup at his lady's feet looked impudent defiance.

1900 C. H. Lane All about Dogs 303 The Chow,..with a short thick head and rather blunt prick ears.

1957 Encycl. Brit. VII. 495 b/2 A bas relief dated to..about 150 b.c. pictures a chow in a hunting capacity.

1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) Deut. xiv. 7 Thei chowen code [elsewhere in the chap. chewen].

c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 77 Chowen supra in chewen.

?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xxxii Euer to be chowyng on the bridell.

?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xiiii It is the harder to ete and chowe.

?1567 M. Parker Whole Psalter sig. Biiii Verse harde in mouth: while oft I chowde, I spied therein no wast.

1773 R. Fergusson Poems 117 What will buy her fairin, To chow that day.

1786 R. Burns Poems 23 On thee [John Barleycorn] aft Scotland chows her cood, In souple scones, the wale o' food!

1863 J. C. Atkinson Provinc. Danby Chow, to chew.

1887 R. L. Stevenson Underwoods ii. i. 78 You, tae, maun chow the bitter peel.

1889 N.E.D. at Chow Mod. Northampt. Dialect, He chows tobacco always.