i Register
In some senses, mew is marked as archaic, obsolete, slang, poetic. Watch for register when choosing this word.
noun
A gull, seagull.
A daungerous and detestable place, To which nor fish nor fowle did once approch, But yelling Meawes, with Seagulles hoarse and bace […]
From helm to sea they saw him leap, As arrow from the string, And dive into the water deep, As mew upon the wing.
noun
A prison, or other place of confinement.
A hiding place; a secret store or den.
Ne toung did tell, ne hand these handled not, / But safe I haue them kept in secret mew, / From heauens sight, and powre of all which them pursew.
A breeding-cage for birds.
A cage for hawks, especially while moulting.
A horse in a stable that never travels, a hawk in a mew that seldom flies, are both subject to diseases; which, left unto themselves, are most free from any such encumbrances.
A building or set of buildings where moulting birds are kept.
verb
To shut away, confine, lock up.
More pity that the eagle should be mew’d, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty.
To mew me in a Ship, is to inthrall Mee in a prison, that weare like to fall;
To moult.
The hawk mewed his feathers.
Their nakedneſſe with ſackcloth let them hide, / And mue the veſt'ments of their ſilken pride; […]
To cause to moult.
To shed antlers.