Mow

A very old Anglo-Saxon word from before the 11th century meaning to cut down grass or crops with a scythe and more latterly with a machine; sometimes used figuratively to mean to kill in great numbers a usage, which dates from the 14th/15th century. Cricket commentators, since the late 20th century, use the word to describe a wild, indiscriminate shot from a batsman as in a bit of a mow, which retains the allusion to a wide, scything movement when cutting grass or crops.