bower

¹

[ bou-er ]

noun

1. a leafy shelter or recess; arbor.
2. a rustic dwelling; cottage.
3. a lady's boudoir in a medieval castle.

verb (used with object)

1. to enclose in or as in a bower; embower.

bower

²

[ bou-er ]

noun

, Nautical.

1. an anchor carried at a ship's bow.

bower

³

[ bou-er ]

noun

1. a person or thing that bows or bends.

bower

⁴

[ boh-er ]

noun

, Music.

1. a musician, as a violinist, who performs with a bow on a stringed instrument.

bower

¹

/ ˈbaʊə /

noun

1. a shady leafy shelter or recess, as in a wood or garden; arbour
2. literary.
   a lady's bedroom or apartments, esp in a medieval castle; boudoir
3. literary.
   a country cottage, esp one regarded as charming or picturesque

bower

²

/ ˈbaʊə /

noun

1. a jack in euchre and similar card games

bower

³

/ ˈbaʊə /

noun

1. nautical a vessel's bow anchor

Derived Forms

• ˈbowery, adjective

Other Words From

• bower·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bower¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English bour, bur, bure “dwelling, shelter, bower,” Old English būr “dwelling, shelter, chamber”; cognate with Old Norse būr “pantry, storehouse,” German Bauer “cage, birdcage”; akin to neighbor

Origin of bower²

First recorded in 1645–55; bow ³ + -er ¹

Origin of bower³

First recorded in 1590–1600; bow ¹ + -er ¹

Origin of bower⁴

First recorded in 1650–70; bow ², -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of bower¹

Old English būr dwelling; related to Old Norse būr pantry, Old High German būr dwelling

Origin of bower²

C19: from German Bauer peasant, jack (in cards)

Origin of bower³

C18: from bow ³ + -er ¹

Example Sentences

In an analysis for LawFare, senior editor Anna Bower wrote that a close read of the new rule shows it, along with other contentious rules the state election board passed last month, "will almost certainly not hamstring the certification of Georgia’s electoral votes. And even if certification is delayed for some reason, such delays do not open up a legal loophole for Trump to overturn the election."

From Salon

Coroner Laurinda Bower found decisions to reduce the support offered to Ms Langton "were often made in silo and on the basis of inaccurate information about the support Beth was receiving".

From BBC

“Stranger Things” star and Dylan superfan Jamie Campbell Bower posted on X to share his support for Chalamet.

From Los Angeles Times

Fans also got a glimpse of British actor Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays the evil Vecna.

From BBC

Yaseen Iqbal, 18, of Hall Bower, Huddersfield, was found guilty of assisting an offender.

From BBC