Now vulgar or dial. A clot of cow-dung (e.g., in a pasture).
c. 1485. Digby Myst., II. 101. Butt in a cow tord dyd ye slyde.
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, cxciv. 68. Use local playsters, and among al other thynges a hote cowe toorde is nat the worste.
1585. Lloyd, Treas. Health, N j. Take a drye coutord.
1690. W. Walker, Idiomat. Anglo-Lat., 172.
transf. 1637. Bastwick, Litany, II. 21. The Prelates … put vp their fingers to their Foure-Square Cowturds, and giue him a nod with the head.
2. Comb. cow-turd-bob, the larva of a beetle found in cow-dung, used by anglers as a bait; so cow-turd-fly.
1681. Chetham, Angler’s Vade-m., iv. § 10 (1689), 39.
1684. R. H., Sch. Recreat. (1710), 162. Flies proper for every Month…. For May,… the Peacock-fly, the Cow-lady, the Cow-turd fly.
1798. Sporting Mag., XI. 246. Cow-turd bob, or Clap-bait, found under a cow-turd.
