marrows

Noun

marrow (countable and uncountable, plural marrows)

1. (uncountable) The substance inside bones which produces blood cells.
   • 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...1914 November, Louis Joseph Vance, “An Outsider […]”, in Munsey’s Magazine, volume LIII, number II, New York, N.Y.: The Frank A[ndrew] Munsey Company, […], published 1915, →OCLC, chapter III...
2. A kind of vegetable similar to a large courgette, zucchini or squash; the mature fruit of certain Cucurbita pepo cultivars.
   • The finest European vegetables, cabbages, cauliflowers, potatoes, vegetable marrow, were lying in the market-hall, awaiting purchasers.1847, Sir Robert Hermann Schomburgk, “Steam-Boat Voyage to Barbados”, in Bentley's Miscellany, volume XXII, London: Richard Bentley, page 37
3. The pith of certain plants.
4. (figuratively) The essence; the best part.
   • It takes from our achievements[…]/ The pith and marrow of our attribute.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...

   Synonyms:

   crux, gist, bowels, sum, brass tacks, core, essence, drift, guts, gravamen

5. (figuratively) The inner meaning or purpose.
6. (colloquial, countable) Bone marrow biopsy.
   • This patient will have a marrow today.

See all 11 meanings of marrow