Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) to eat voraciously; also as imper., start eating; thus chow-down n., a meal.

1939		E. O’Brien One Way Ticket 21: Chow down, sailors! Come and get it!
1945		Riordan Calif. Folk Quarterly Oct. 19: Let’s knock off [...] and chow down [W&F].
1957		(con. 1944) A. Myrer Big War 358: Should of let me blast him [...] Have us a little roast pig chow-down.
1959		‘Paul Merchant’ ‘Sex Gang’ in Pulling a Train’ (2012) [ebook] He could only understand [...] two gringo phrases: ‘Chow down!’ and ‘Line up for pay’.
1967		Oz 3 9/2: The hippies came and ate and have been chowing down, free, every night since.
1978		A. Maupin Tales of the City (1984) 108: Five years ago you could have caught these turkeys [...] chowing down on chitlins and black-eyed peas with the Brothers and Sisters.
1981		M. Baker Nam (1982) 45: Okay, chow down. You got a patrol in fifteen minutes.
1994		G. Indiana Rent Boy 76: Watching this Siefried blond out of a GQ spread chowing down one of my bowel movements.
2000		R. Antoni Grandmother’s Erotic Folktales 156: I told the boys they might as well ‘chow down’.
2004		Mad mag. Oct. 50: We’ve lined up some really nasty-ass crap for contestants to chow down.
2010		L. Redhead Thrill City [ebook] The passengers had been forced to chow down on deep-fried food.
2020		(con. 1991-94) W. Boyle City of Margins 105: ‘I’m chowing down on some sfogliatelle’.

2. (US) to perform oral sex.

1951		R. Leveridge Walk on the Water 175: Tuthill’s ruthless, fascinating hands slowly unfastening the fly buttons. ‘Come here, Adams. [...] Chow down, you bastard, chow down.’.
1978		L.K. Truscott IV Dress Gray (1979) 178: A young lady answered the phone when we called earlier today. You’re gonna chow-down on this leave time, Mr. Sam. I can tell by the look on your face, you rascal.
2000		M. Manning Get Your Cock Out 45: One fell between young Dandy’s legs and started chowing down on her sanctified clam.
2002		B. Floyd Comments at GettingIt.com 🌐 Cunnilingus [...] carpet munching; cherry flip; chewing bubble gum; chow box; chow down; chowing; chow or chowing box; clam dinner; clean the carpet.

3. (US campus) to kiss, to pet.

1967

Current Sl. II:1 2: Chow down, v. To pet mildly.

4. to provide someone with a meal.

1972

T. O’Brien If I Die in a Combat Zone (1980) 70: Fill [the cards] out, and we’ll chow you down.