marrow

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See also: Marrow

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English mary, marow, marowe, marowȝ, from Old English mearg, from Proto-Germanic *mazgą, *mazgaz, from Proto-Indo-European *mosgʰos. Compare West Frisian moarch, Dutch merg, German Mark, Swedish märg, Icelandic mergur, and also Russian мозг (mozg, “brain”), Persian مغز (“mæγz: brain”).

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 159: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value RP is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈmæɹəʊ/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 159: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value US is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈmæɹoʊ/, /ˈmeɹoʊ/, /ˈmɛɹoʊ/
  • Rhymes: -ærəʊ

Noun

marrow (countable and uncountable, plural marrows)

Transected beef bones, exposing the marrow inside
Vegetable marrows
  1. (uncountable) The substance inside bones which produces blood cells.
    • Template:RQ:Vance Nobody
      Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear.
  3. (countable) A kind of vegetable like a large courgette/zucchini or squash.
    • 1847, Sir Robert Hermann Schomburgk, "Steam-Boat Voyage to Barbados", Bentley's Miscellany, Vol XXII, London: Richard Bentley, p.37:
      The finest European vegetables, cabbages, cauliflowers, potatoes, vegetable marrow, were lying in the market-hall, awaiting purchasers.
  4. The pith of certain plants.
  5. The essence; the best part.
    • (Can we date this quote by William Shakespeare and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      It takes from our achievements […] / The pith and marrow of our attribute.
    • (Can we date this quote by Thomas Tusser and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
      Chopping and changing I cannot commend, / With thief or his marrow, for fear of ill end.
  6. The inner meaning or purpose.
  7. (medicine, colloquial) Bone marrow biopsy.
    This patient will have a marrow today.
  8. (obsolete) Semen.
    • 1601–1608, William Shakespeare, All’s Well That Ends Well, act ii, scene 3
      Parolles: He wears his honour in a box, unseen / That hugs his kicky-wicky here at home, / Spending his manly marrow in her arms / Of Mars’s fiery steed.

Synonyms

Derived terms
Translations
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Etymology 2

From Old Norse margr.

Alternative forms

Noun

marrow (plural marrows)

  1. (Geordie, informal) A friend, pal, buddy, mate.
    Cheers marrow!
  2. (Scotland or archaic) One of a pair; a match; a companion; an intimate associate.
    • c. 1620 anonymous, “Tom o’ Bedlam’s Song” in Giles Earle his Booke (British Museum, Additional MSS. 24, 665):
      The moon’s my constant Mistresse
      & the lowlie owle my morrowe.
      The flaming Drake and yͤ Nightcrowe make
      mee musicke to my sorrowe.

Derived terms

References

  • A Dictionary of North East Dialect, Bill Griffiths, 2005, Northumbria University Press, →ISBN
  • Northumberland Words, English Dialect Society, R. Oliver Heslop, 1893–4
  • A List of words and phrases in everyday use by the natives of Hetton-le-Hole in the County of Durham, F.M.T.Palgrave, English Dialect Society vol.74, 1896, [1]
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