marrow
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈmæɹəʊ/
enpr: mărʹō
note: without the Mary–marry–merry merger
ipa: /ˈmæɹoʊ/
note: Mary–marry–merry merger
ipa: /ˈmɛ(ə)ɹoʊ/
rhymes: -æɹəʊ
Forms: form: marrows
Etymology: From Middle English mary, marow, marwe, marowȝ, from Old English mearg, from Proto-West Germanic *maʀg, 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”), Polish mózg (“brain”), Ashkun amōźã, Kamkata-viri muč, muj, Waigali muj, Persian مغز (maġz, “brain”), Sanskrit मज्जन् (majján). Doublet of maghaz.
Senses: examples: text: 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.
ref: 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 (Accessory After the Fact), page 382, column 1:
text: Chop me up, I like to be hurt / Drink my marrow and blood for dessert
ref: 2004, “Eaten”, performed by Bloodbath:
glosses: The substance inside bones which produces blood cells.
examples: text: The finest European vegetables, cabbages, cauliflowers, potatoes, vegetable marrow, were lying in the market-hall, awaiting purchasers.
ref: 1847, Sir Robert Hermann Schomburgk, “Steam-Boat Voyage to Barbados”, in Bentley's Miscellany, volume XXII, London: Richard Bentley, page 37:
glosses: A kind of vegetable similar to a large courgette, zucchini or squash.
glosses: The pith of certain plants.
examples: text: It takes from our achievements[…]/ The pith and marrow of our attribute.
ref: 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 Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
text: I cannot commend , with theefe of his marrow, for feare of ill end
ref: 1557 February 13 (Gregorian calendar), Thomas Tusser, A Hundreth Good Pointes of Husbandrie, London: […] Richard Tottel, →OCLC; republished London: […] Robert Triphook, […], and William Sancho, […], 1810, →OCLC:
synonyms: word: crux
word: gist
word: bowels
word: brass tacks
word: core
word: crux
word: essence
word: gist
word: drift
word: guts
word: gravamen
word: heart
word: heart and soul
word: heartstring
word: heartstrings
word: inwardness
word: kernel
word: marrow
word: meat
word: moral of the story
word: nitty-gritty
word: nub
word: nuts and bolts
word: pith
word: punctum saliens
word: quintessence
word: soul
word: spirit
word: stuff
word: substance
word: tenor
glosses: The essence; the best part.
glosses: The inner meaning or purpose.
examples: text: This patient will have a marrow today.
text: I was chilled to the marrow.
topics: medicine
sciences
glosses: Bone marrow biopsy.
examples: text: 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.
ref: c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:
glosses: Semen.
Derived terms: bone marrow
Boston marrow
marrowbone
marrowfat
marrow gut
marrowish
marrowless
marrowlike
marrow smear
marrow squash
marrowy
mountain marrow
red marrow
spinal marrow
starvation marrow
to the marrow
vegetable marrow
Related terms: courgette
cucumber
gherkin
gourd
pickle
squash
zucchini