frow

From Middle Dutch vrouwe (“lady”), from Old Dutch *frōwa, from Proto-Germanic *frawjǭ (“lady, mistress”), from Proto-Indo-European *prōw- (“right; judge, master”). Cognate with Dutch vrouw (“woman, wife, lady, mistress”), Low German frouw, frauw (“woman, wife, lady”), German Frau (“woman, wife, lady”), Swedish fru, Icelandic freyja (“lady, mistress”, in compounds), Old English frōwe (“woman”), Old English frēa (“lord, master, husband”). Doublet of frau.

frow (plural frows)

1. A woman; a wife, especially a Dutch or German one.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Beaumont and Fletcher to this entry?)

2. (obsolete) A slovenly woman; a wench; a lusty woman.
3. (obsolete) A big, fat woman; a slovenly, coarse, or untidy woman; a woman of low character.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Halliwell to this entry?)

frow (plural frows)

1. Alternative spelling of froe

From Middle English frow, frough, frogh, frouh, frouȝ (“brittle; tender; fickle; slack; loose”), cognate with Scots frooch, freuch (“dry and brittle”). Of obscure origin. Perhaps also related to Middle Dutch vro, vroo, Middle Low German vrô, German froh.

frow (comparative more frow, superlative most frow)

1. (Now chiefly dialectal) Brittle; tender; crisp

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Evelyn to this entry?)

• frowish

Compare frower.

frow (plural frows)

1. A cleaving tool with handle at right angles to the blade, for splitting cask staves and shingles from the block; a frower.

• rowf