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n. 1. A cage for hawks, especially when molting. 2. A secret place; a hideaway. 3. mews (used with a sing. or pl. verb) a. A group of buildings originally containing private stables, often converted into residential apartments. b. A small street, alley, or courtyard on which such buildings stand. v. mewed, mew·ing, mews v.tr. To confine in or as if in a cage. v.intr. To molt. Used of a hawk. [Middle English meue, from Old French mue, from muer, to molt, from Latin mūtāre, to change; see mei-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]  (click for a larger image) mew1Belford Mews at Dean Village Edinburgh, Scotland |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
intr.v. mewed, mew·ing, mews To make a high-pitched, crying sound, as that of a cat. n. A high-pitching crying sound, especially that of a cat. [Middle English meuen, of imitative origin.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
n. A migratory gull (Larus canus) that breeds in northern Eurasia and northwest North America. [Middle English meue, from Old English mǣw, mēu.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
