Obs. Forms: 4 lu, loouwe, 4–5 lowe, 6–7 low. [Partly a. OF. louer, loer (mod.F. louer):—L. laudāre; partly aphetic f. ALLOW v. Some of the forms coincide with northern spellings of LOVE v.2, which has some of the senses of this vb., and may sometimes have been confused with it.
For the mod. vulgarism ’low for allow, see ALLOW v.]
1. trans. = ALLOW v. in various senses.
13[?]. Cursor M., 20034 (Edin.). Þu mi wille me al wil lu [other texts alou].
1382. Wyclif, Wisd. iii. 6. As brent sacrifise of ost he loouwede them [Vulg. accepit cos].
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 4532. A foolis word is nought to trowe, Ne worth an appel for to lowe.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., liv. 187 (Harl. MS.). The knyȝt hadde noon Excusacion, ne wolde not lowe himselfe.
1587. Turberv., Trag. T. (1837), 139. He lowde him scope, without suspect of ill.
1609. Daniel, Civ. Wars, VIII. lxvi. Least they [her looks] should ’low More then her heart might meane.
2. intr. To bid a price. (Cf. LOVE v.2)
1607. Norden, Surv. Dial., I. 9, note. Tenants striuing in lowing and bidding, inhanceth fines and rents.
