cowhide

English

Etymology

cow +‎ hide

Noun

cowhide (countable and uncountable, plural cowhides)

1. (countable) A hide of a cow.
2. (uncountable) Any quantity of hides of cows.
3. (uncountable) Leather made from the hide of cows.
4. A coarse whip made of untanned leather.
   • 1979, Octavia Butler, Kindred:

     “Luke did his work,” I said. “How could your father sell him?”
     “He worked all right. And the hands would work hard for him—mostly without the cowhide. But sometimes he didn't show much sense.”

Coordinate terms

• horsehide
• sheepskin
• kidskin

Verb

1. (transitive) To flog with a cowhide.