marrow

From Middle English mary, marow, marwe, marowȝ, from Old English mearg, from Proto-West Germanic *maʀg, from Proto-Germanic *mazgą, *mazgaz, from Proto-Indo-European *mosgʰos. Compare West Frisian moarch, Dutch merg, German Mark, Swedish märg, Icelandic mergur, and also Russian мозг (mozg, “brain”), Persian مغز‎ (mağz, “brain”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmæɹəʊ/
• (General American) enPR: mărʹō
  • (Mary–marry–merry distinction) IPA^(key): /ˈmæɹoʊ/
  • (Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛ(ə)ɹoʊ/

• Audio (UK)

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• Rhymes: -æɹəʊ

marrow (countable and uncountable, plural marrows)

Transected beef bones, exposing the marrow inside

Vegetable marrows

1. (uncountable) The substance inside bones which produces blood cells.
   • 1914, Louis Joseph Vance, chapter III, in Nobody, New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, published 1915, OCLC 40817384:

     Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear.

   • 2004, Bloodbath, Eaten

     Chop me up, I like to be hurt / Drink my marrow and blood for dessert

2. (countable) A kind of vegetable like a large courgette/zucchini or squash.
   • 1847, Sir Robert Hermann Schomburgk, "Steam-Boat Voyage to Barbados", Bentley's Miscellany, Vol XXII, London: Richard Bentley, p.37:

     The finest European vegetables, cabbages, cauliflowers, potatoes, vegetable marrow, were lying in the market-hall, awaiting purchasers.

3. The pith of certain plants.
4. The essence; the best part.
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act I, scene iv]:

     It takes from our achievements […] / The pith and marrow of our attribute.

   • 1557 February 13, Thomas Tusser, A Hundreth Good Pointes of Husbandrie., London: […] Richard Tottel, OCLC 1049068421; republished London: Reprinted for Robert Triphook, […], and William Sancho, […], 1810, OCLC 7109675:

     I cannot commend , with theefe of his marrow, for feare of ill end

5. The inner meaning or purpose.
6. (medicine, colloquial) Bone marrow biopsy.

   This patient will have a marrow today.

7. (obsolete) Semen.
   • c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s VVell, that Ends VVell”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act II, scene iii]:

     Parolles: He wears his honour in a box, unseen / That hugs his kicky-wicky here at home, / Spending his manly marrow in her arms / Of Mars’s fiery steed.

• (the essence; the best part): crux, gist; See also Thesaurus:gist

From Old Norse margr.

• marra

marrow (plural marrows)

1. (Tyneside, informal) A friend, pal, buddy, mate.

   Cheers marrow!

2. (Scotland or archaic) One of a pair; a match; a companion; an intimate associate.
   • c. 1620, anonymous, “Tom o’ Bedlam’s Song” in Giles Earle his Booke (British Museum, Additional MSS. 24, 665):

     The moon’s my constant Mistresse
     & the lowlie owle my morrowe.
     The flaming Drake and yͤ Nightcrowe make
     mee musicke to my sorrowe.

• half-marrow

• A Dictionary of North East Dialect, Bill Griffiths, 2005, Northumbria University Press, →ISBN
• Northumberland Words, English Dialect Society, R. Oliver Heslop, 1893–4
• A List of words and phrases in everyday use by the natives of Hetton-le-Hole in the County of Durham, F.M.T.Palgrave, English Dialect Society vol.74, 1896,