cowson
English edit
Etymology edit
Attested since the 1920s. From cow + son
Noun edit
cowson (plural cowsons)
- (slang, chiefly South London, archaic) An objectionable, contemptible, unfortunate or stubborn person, place or situation (sometimes used ironically or humorously); bastard; git.
- 1922, Adventure, volume 34, Issues 1-3 - Page 153:
- Dance, yuh funny-faced cowson.
- 1939, James Curtis, What Immortal Hand… - Page 235:
- Well, I come down in the world…It’s a cowson, ain’t it.
- 1946, David Marcus, Terrence Smith, S.J.White, Irish Writing - Volumes 1-6 - Page 62:
- No kiddin’, I used to get on lovely with them, all except one cowson who wouldn’t wash.
- 1947, John Cournos, Best World Short Stories: 1947 - Volume 1 - Page 108:
- You lucky cowson. With a bleeding March coming off tomorrow and all.
- 1979, Chas & Dave, "Gertcha", Don’t Give a Monkey’s (album) [1].
- Gertcha, cowson, gertcha/Gertcha!.(chorus)
- That cowson still owes me five quid.
- Millwall lost again. What a cowson.
Adjective edit
cowson (not comparable)
- (slang, chiefly South London, archaic) Used for emphasis; bloody; fucking.
- 1992, Alexander Stuart, Tribes -Page 102:
- The traffic is a cunt, as every cowson-foreign-bastard doubts his rainstreaked, wiper-smeared view and slows to a useless crawl.
- That cowson nut is rusted frozen.
- That cowson car refused to start on the tenth attempt.
Synonyms edit
- (expresses dislike): See Thesaurus:git
- (expresses intensity of feeling): See Thesaurus:damned