mow
UK[məʊ]US[moʊ]
v
to cut grass or grain with a machine or a scythe
v
to kill or destroy people in large numbers, especially in battle
Etymology
the verb "mow" descends directly from the old english "māwan," meaning "to cut down grass or grain with a scythe." this old english term has cognates in other germanic languages, such as old high german "māen" and old norse "mā," all tracing back to the proto-germanic root "mē-," which carried the sense of cutting or mowing. the semantic connection from the literal agricultural action to the metaphorical sense of "cutting down" people in battle is a classic example of figurative extension, where the destructive efficiency of harvesting is applied to the grim realities of warfare.
Analysis
the word "mow" is a simplex word of old english origin. it functions as a single, indivisible root.
Examples
i need to mow the lawn this weekend before it gets too long.
the farmers mow the fields in late summer to gather the wheat.
the machine guns mowed down the advancing troops.