bow-wow

Interjection

1. Representing the sound of a dog barking.
   • Harke, harke, bowgh wawgh: the watch-Dogges barke, bowgh-wawgh.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published...
   • She […] hath ſtiled him with an immortall penne, the bawewawe of ſchollars, the tutt of gentlemen, the tee-heegh of gentlewomen, the phy of citizens, the blurt of Courtiers, the poogh of good letters, the faph of good manners, and the whoop-hooe of good boyes in London ſtreetes.1593, Gabriell Haruey [i.e., Gabriel Harvey], Pierces Supererogation: Or A New Prayse of the Old Asse. A Preparative to Certaine Larger Discourses, Intituled Nashes S. Fame, London: […] Iohn Wolfe...

Noun

bow-wow (plural bow-wows)

1. The sound of a dog barking.
   • And a chorus of quadruped, white and brown, / Bark’d affirmative, “gone to town,” / With affable bursts of French bow-wow; / (As part of the family they knew how!)1864, Bessie Rayner Parkes, “Fontainebleau”, in Good Words, volume 5, page 224
   • The pack commenced to work back and forth along the ridge. We neared a hollow where Prince barked eagerly. Curley answered, and likewise Queen. Mux’s short, angry bow-wow showed that he was in line.1911, Zane Grey, “VI. Trails”, in The Young Lion Hunter, New York: Grosset & Dunlap, →OCLC, →OL, page 63
2. (childish, humorous) A dog.
   • Daddy wouldn't buy me a bow wow! bow wow! / Daddy wouldn't buy me a bow wow! bow wow, / I've got a little cat, / And I'm very fond of that, / But I'd rather have a bow wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.1892, Joseph Tabrar, “Daddy Wouldn’t Buy Me a Bow Wow […]”, performed by Vesta Victoria, New York, N.Y.: T[homas] B. Harms & Co. […]; London: Francis, Day & Hunter, […], →OCLC, page 5
   • Gem is really a very nice small bow-wow, but Mother found that in this case possession was less attractive than pursuit.1902, Theodore Roosevelt, letter to Kermit Roosevelt dated 13 October, 1902, in Joseph Bucklin Bishop (editor), Theodore Roosevelt’s Letters to His Children, New York: Scribner, 1919, p. 36

Verb

bow-wow (third-person singular simple present bow-wows, present participle bow-wowing, simple past and past participle bow-wowed)

1. To make the sound of a dog, to bark, to bow-wow

Adjective

bow-wow (not comparable)

1. (dated, informal) Grandiose.
   • Lord Pembroke said once to me at Wilton, with a happy pleasantry, and some truth, that “Dr. Johnson’s sayings would not appear so extraordinary were it not for his bow-wow way;” but I admit the truth of this only on some occasions.1785, James Boswell, The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, London: Charles Dilly, page 8
   • Miss Austen […] had a talent for describing the involvements, and feelings, and characters of ordinary life, which is to me the most wonderful I ever met with. The Big Bow-wow strain I can do myself like any now going; but the exquisite touch, which renders ordinary commonplace things and...1826, Walter Scott, Diary entry for 14 March, 1826, in The Complete Works of Sir Walter Scott; with a Biography, New York: Conner & Cooke, 1833, Volume 7, Chapter 68, p. 475