Mew — Defs

01 n. A gull, esp. the common British species (Larus canus); called also sea mew, maa, mar, mow, and cobb.

1.
A gull, esp. the common British species (Larus canus); called also sea mew, maa, mar, mow, and cobb.(Zool.) Also: sea mew, maa, mar, mow, cobb

02 v. t. To shed or cast; to change; to molt; as, the hawk mewed his feathers.

imp. & p. p. Mewed; p. pr. & vb. n. Mewing

1.
To shed or cast; to change; to molt; as, the hawk mewed his feathers.
“Nine times the moon had mewed her horns.” — Dryden.

03 v. i. To cast the feathers; to molt; hence, to change; to put on a new appearance.

1.
To cast the feathers; to molt; hence, to change; to put on a new appearance.
“Now everything doth mew, And shifts his rustic winter robe.” — Turbervile.

04 n. A cage for hawks while mewing; a coop for fattening fowls; hence, any inclosure; a place of confinement or shelter; -- in the latter sense …

1.
A cage for hawks while mewing; a coop for fattening fowls; hence, any inclosure; a place of confinement or shelter; -- in the latter sense usually in the plural.
“Full many a fat partrich had he in mewe.” — Chaucer.

“Forthcoming from her darksome mew.” — Spenser.

“Violets in their secret mews.” — Wordsworth.
2.
A stable or range of stables for horses; -- compound used in the plural, and so called from the royal stables in London, built on the site of the king's mews for hawks.

05 v. t. To shut up; to inclose; to confine, as in a cage or other inclosure.

1.
To shut up; to inclose; to confine, as in a cage or other inclosure.
“More pity that the eagle should be mewed.” — Shak.

“Close mewed in their sedans, for fear of air.” — Dryden.

06 v. i. To cry as a cat.

07 n. The common cry of a cat.