Obs. [BOW sb.1]
1. ? A stirrup.
c. 1205. Lay., 23899. Arður stop a stel boȝe And leop an his blancke.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 778. Ilk a hathill to hors hiȝis him be-lyue, Stridis into stele-bowe, stertis apon loft.
2. A bow made of steel; a cross-bow.
[1535. Coverdale, Job xx. 23. Yf he fle the yron weapens, he shall be shott with the stele bowe.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph., II. (Arb.), 112. Iron bowes, and style bowes, haue bene of longe tyme, and also nowe are vsed among the Turkes.]
1607. Dekker & Webster, Sir T. Wyat, E 1 b. Norf. Yonder the Traitor marcheth with a steele-bowe Bent on his Souereigne, and his kingdomes peace.
1671. Milton, P. R., III. 305. Steel Bows, and Shafts their arms Of equal dread in flight, or in pursuit.
3. A part of a lathe. Obs.
1680. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., xiv. 236. There is a strong Steel Bow … fastned about its middle part to the further side of the Puppet…. And to the ends of this Steel Bow is fastned a strong String of Gut.
Hence † Steelbowman, a crossbowman.
1585. Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 484/1. Balistarij,… the crossebow or steelebowmen.
