Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Slaw, adj. Also: slawe, slau, slo(u)(e. [Early and north ME and e.m.E. slaw (Orm), slau (c1200), slawe (Cath. Angl.), midl. and south. ME and e.m.E. slou (c1200), slow (a1310), OE sláw.]

A. 1. a. Of the speed of movement, also, rarely, the passage of time: Slow, not fast.(a) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1650.
This tyme quhen that herwist had … his coursses maid … And wyntir … Command with strenth of his slaw paces 1494 Loutfut MS 109a.
Thair batellis in special quhilk is within listis man for man othir be slaw batall or batell of plesaunce 1513 Doug. iv xi 114.
The tother … Hychit on furth with slaw pays lyke a trat 1513 Doug. x x 109.
Na slaw curs of thy horssys onweldy Thy cart has rendryt to thyne ennemy 1513 Doug. xii vii 7.
With steppis slaw … Lenand ilk pays on a … speir 1528 Lynd. Dreme 507.
The sewin planetis … Sum swyft, sum slaw, as to thare kynde afferis 1533 Bell. Livy I 64/12.
Mecius … fled with slaw passage to the montanis a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 188.
A slaw hound maks a speidie hair(b) 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. v 9.
The too slou day

b. Characterised by slowness or lack of speed; ? passing into, dull, lacking intensity (esp. of (the emotions of) old age), sluggish.attrib. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 155.
The slawe ase, the druggare beste of pyne 1513 Doug. viii viii 121.
My febill and slaw onweldy age a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 943 (Wr.).
Nothing he saw In age, but anger, slack and slaw c1590 Fowler I 65/192.
Reasoun, sweir and slaw c1590 J. Stewart 226 § 107.
Heir sueirnes sleipit slaw as ony snaill(b) 1604-31 Craig iii 27.
Joyes come like oxen heavie peas'd and slopredic. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxvi 76.
In dance thay war so slaw of feit 1513 Doug. v iii 95.
Sum deil slaw was sche For that hir holl was of sa hevy tre 1513 Doug. x xii 30.
Palmus howgh sennonys smait in tway Maid hym sa slaw he mycht nocht fle away c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 17.
Flewme is fat, slaw, richt slipperie & sweir 1580 Skeyne Descr. Well Sig. A 2b.
Sweit watter is slaw in passage 1600-1610 Melvill 169.
We haiffing but twa eares, and the boot slaw and heavie

c. Of cold weather: Dull, not intense. 1596 Dalr. I 5/20.
That sair seiknes … cam nevir till ws, nochtthelesse, continual caldes, albeit slawe

2. Of a person: Tardy, dilatory; sluggish; unwilling, recalcitrant or lacking promptness in action; cautious, not over-hasty, or quick.Const. in doing something, to(ward something or someone, to do something.attrib. 1513 Doug. ix x 27.
Heir ar not the slaw weirmen Atrydes c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxv 26.
Euile seruand and slaw 1533 Bell. Livy I 74/11.
Thai held the king of Romanis for ane slaw and effemynate prince, and belevit nocht bot he suld pas his dayis … amang templis … of goddis 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 138.
He is ane slawe payar 1596 Dalr. I 104/3.
Quhairthrow thay may lang deid or slawe frome thair waipounis lypredic. (1) 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 4.
Gif the somoundour be our slaw rekles or defectif 1533 Bell. Livy II 90/22.
Ȝe ar full of mynassing in tyme of pece, and richt slaw in tyme of batall a1578 Pitsc. I 149/15.
The gouernour grew so slaw That thair fell in the realme gret dissobedience c1590 Fowler I 127/23.
Our Lord … wes never late nor slaw 1622-6 Bisset II 147/32.
How slaw and louk warme we are now(2) c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 15.
To beware of sik as wald mak thaim beleif of the Lord was slaw in cummyng 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 23.
In payment of the quhilk taxatioun … the personis detbund thairto ar slaw 1577 Douglas Corr. 232.
I had rather be difficill in promissing than slaw or doubtfull in performyng 1596 Dalr. II 451/8.
Quhen he tariet lang in Paris, and in cuming furth was ouer slawe a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 303.
Because he was sa earnist in his awin particular, and sa slaw in the caus of God, his erand could not tak gude succes 1597 Edinb. B. Rec. V 201.
Thair nychtbouris ar verray slaw in paying thair monethlie contributioun 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 103/1, 2.
Be slau in taking on a uarre … be slau in peaxemaking c1610 Melville Mem. 103.
Sche lamented that the princes of Germany wer sa slaw and langsome in all ther deliberations — a1585 Maitl. Q. 240/29.
Our God … is of nature slaw to punishment 1596 Dalr. I 186/10.
The Pechtes ar nocht slawer to the combat 1596 Dalr. II 180/17.
Feiring that gif sche war fund sueir or slaw toward her housband … sche mycht be suspected of a false hart 1587-99 Hume 13/65.
To anger slaw, To mercie reddie(3) c1520-c1535 Nisbet St. James i 19.
Be ilkman swift to here, bot slaw to speke 1551 Hamilton Cat. 227.
Be nocht slawe to … turne to Gode 1567 G. Ball. 115.
Mercyfull is he, Slaw to reuenge, and to forgiue reddie 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Eclogues i 27.
Respexit inertem: (luiket to me howbeit I wes slaw to seik it) 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 6b.
The Lorde is … The slawest to consaife ane wraith 1591 James VI in Misc. Spald. C. II 217.
That ye … are slaw … to mak your tolbuith and preasoun oppin … to our said constabill 1592 Warrender P. (SHS) II 172.
Quhen ye ar fund so slawe to snibe thame for wranges ye shalbe [etc.] 1611 Lothian Dioc. Synod 108.
The minister that sall be fund remis and slaw … to be cencurit 1614 Crim. Trials III 289.
Now I sall not be slaw to puneisch(b) c1590 Fowler I 271/11.
You … faites to succour sloue

b. Of an action: Delayed; marked by tardiness, or a lack of willingness or energy in the execution. 1533 Bell. Livy II 103/22.
The cry of Romanis was variant, slaw, & but curage 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 99.
Togader with the cawes of mi slaw wrayten to yowr lordschip 1558-66 Knox II 40.
I have writtin ofter then anes … what thingis have myslyked me in youre slaw proceideings, … in supporting youre brethrein 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) 402.
The slaw administratioun of iustice 1571 Bann. Memor. 207.
Thair slaw resolutiones … is lyke … to prove incommodious to thame seluis at lenth 1584 Laing MSS 41.
Thair more slaw & laiter removing from the Bordours then we luked for c1590 Fowler II 99/31.
Off hyred forces groweth slaw and febill conquesches

B. superl. as noun. One who is slow in sense 2 above. 1616 Haddington Corr. 133.
Howpeing his Maiestie will considder I am nather the slawest in doeing the littill service [etc.]