The Lawnmower Was Invented to Replace Grazing Sheep
A mower cuts grass. The machine was invented in 1830 to do a job previously done by scythes and grazing animals.
A mower is a machine or person that cuts grass. Before 1830, keeping a lawn short meant either scythes wielded at dawn while the dew held the grass upright, or grazing sheep. Edwin Budding, an English engineer, adapted a machine that trimmed the nap on woollen cloth and produced the cylinder lawnmower, which made the ordinary domestic lawn possible. His design's spiral blade is still used in cricket and bowling green mowers.
- A grass-cutting machine. *A petrol mower.*
- One who mows. *A mower with a scythe.*
- Lawnmower — the full word. *A lawnmower.*
- Cylinder mower — Budding's design. *A cylinder mower.*
- Rotary mower — the modern common type. *A rotary mower.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | mower | A mower. |
| Plural | mowers | Two mowers. |
| Verb | mow | Mow the lawn. |
| Past participle | mown | Newly mown grass. |
| Old English | mawan | To mow. |
- The mower needs a new blade.Machine.
- Budding patented it in 1830.History.
- Newly mown grass has a distinctive smell.Participle.
Cylinder or rotary?
- Cylinder — a spiral blade shears against a fixed bar, like scissors
- Rotary — a spinning blade cuts by impact
- Cylinder gives a finer cut, used on sports turf
- Rotary handles rough or long grass better
- Budding's 1830 design was a cylinder mower
From *mow*, Old English *mawan*, to cut with a scythe, from a Germanic root related to *meadow*.
How were lawns kept before mowers?
By scythe, cut at dawn while dew held the grass upright, or by grazing sheep and other animals.
Are mow and meadow related?
Yes. A meadow is land that is mown, from the same Germanic root.