What does "dow" mean?
Alternative form of dhow (“sailing vessel”).
Dow
/daʊ/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Alternative form of dhow (“sailing vessel”).
- Grammar: dow is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: dow index, family name, family name usage, last name.
- Usage evidence: The Dow Jones average posted a gain of two points today.
How to use "dow"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dow" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "dow" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "dow" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "dow" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "dow" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "dow index" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "dow", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Alternative form of dhow (“sailing vessel”). alt-of, alternative
- 2 Obsolete form of dove (“pigeon”). alt-of, obsolete
"The fauconer then was prest, Came runnynge with a dow, And cryed, ‘Stow, stow, stow!’ But she [his hawk] wold not bow."
- 3 Alternative form of dah (“Burmese knife”). alt-of, alternative
- 4 Obsolete form of dough alt-of, countable, obsolete, uncountable
"This day my Julia thou must make For Mistresse Bride, the wedding Cake: Knead but the Dow, and it will be To paste of Almonds turn’d by thee: Or kisse it thou, but once, or twice, And for the Bride-Cake ther’l be Spice."
- 5 Initialism of day of the week abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Initialism of department of war. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
Verb
- 1 To be worth. Northern-England, dialectal, obsolete
- 2 To furnish with a dower; to endow.
- 3 To thrive, prosper. Northern-England, dialectal, obsolete
Proper Noun
- 1 A male given name. countable
- 2 Initialism of United States Department of War. US, abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 3 Alternative form of DOW. alt-of, alternative
- 4 A surname transferred from the given name. countable
- 5 Dow Jones average countable, uncountable
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 An unincorporated community in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. countable, uncountable
- 7 An unincorporated community in Perry County, Kentucky, United States. countable, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonyms dow indexfamily namefamily name usagelast namemarket indexstock index
Example
"The Dow Jones average posted a gain of two points today."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dow"?
Common synonyms include: dow index, family name, family name usage, last name, market index, stock index.
How do you use "dow" in a sentence?
The Dow Jones average posted a gain of two points today.
How do you pronounce "dow"?
Pronounced /daʊ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English douen, from Old English dugan, from Proto-West Germanic *dugan, from Proto-Germanic *duganą.
Etymology 2
From Middle English dowen, from Old French douer, from Latin dōtō.
Etymology 3
Variant of Daw from David or daw, and of Duff from Scottish Gaelic.
Etymology 4
Abbreviation.