mow down (redirected from mow)

mow someone or something down

to cut, knock, or shoot someone or something down. The speeding car almost mowed us down. The car mowed down the pedestrian.

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mow down somebody/something also mow somebody/something down

to violently cause someone or something to fall The car skidded along the side of the road and mowed down several mailboxes before coming to a stop. A young woman was mowed down in a public market by narcotics traffickers.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of mow down (to cut grasses or grains that fall over as they are cut)