Dictionary

jow en · NOUN · etymology 1

Meanings

1. (alt-of, alternative, uncountable) Alternative form of jhow (“a kind of tamarisk”).
   alt of jhow

jow en · NOUN · etymology 2

Meanings

1. (historical) A premetric unit of length in India, equal to approximately a quarter of an inch.

Forms

jow en · VERB · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• /d͡ʒəʊ/ (UK)
• /d͡ʒaʊ/ (US)

Etymology

Alteration of jowl (“to knock, strike, ring a bell”), with loss of final l.

Meanings

1. (UK, dialectal, transitive) To knock, strike, bump.
2. (Scotland, transitive) To ring or toll (a bell).

Forms

jow en · VERB · etymology 4

Meanings

1. (India, imperative, obsolete) Go away; begone.
   • He angrily tells the crowd to jow (go away), and the nearest of them sheer off a few paces, […] 1927, Alfred Claude Brown, The Ordinary Man's India, page 88:
   • This is always the way in India: the servant assures you that what you require is not procurable […] you politely reply, "Jow" (go away), and in nine cases out of ten he will return with the desired article; […] 1861, M. A. Wallace-Dunlop, Rosalind Harriet Maria Wallace-Dunlop Inverarity, The Timely Retreat from India, Before the Mutinies (page 163)

jow en · VERB · etymology 5

Etymology

Apparently from earlier *jowl, from Middle English chaulen, chavelen (“to jabber”). Compare jawl (“to talk loudly”).

Meanings

1. (UK, dialectal) To talk loudly.

Forms