Third-person singular or plural of 'dow,' an archaic or dialectal verb meaning to be able, to avail, or to be of use.
From Old English 'dugan,' meaning to be able or avail. An obsolete verb form that survives in phrases like 'what dows it matter?' in Scots English.
Words like 'dows' show English verb conjugations we've completely abandoned—we replaced most of these archaic forms with 'can' and 'be able to.' Language simplifies over centuries.
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