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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BOWLIE, Boowlie, Booly, Boully, Bowly, Bowloch, adj. and n. Also boulie. [′bʌuli,, ′buli]

1. adj. Crooked, bent; bandy-legged (Ags., Edb., Gsw., Ayr., Dmf. 2000s).Sth. 1996 Essie Stewart in Timothy Neat The Summer Walkers: Travelling People and Pearl-Fishers in the Highlands of Scotland 4:
They were the 'Bowlie' Williamsons - settled Travellers - they took in rags, rabbit-skins, woollens, in exchange for china ornaments and things that other Travellers, on the road would sell to crofters all over Sutherland. Fif. 1878 “S. Tytler” Scotch Firs I. vii.; Fif.¹ 1935:
He's getting pu'ed about the haffits and booly in the back.wm.Sc. 1837 Scot. Monthly Mag. 120:
By creeping through the bowlie legs o' a dour-looking auld Highlandman.wm.Sc. 1999 Hamish MacDonald The Gravy Star 27:
He carries the bowlie gait of a man who's grafted at hard physical tasks all his days.Gsw. 1985 Michael Munro The Patter 12:
Bowly Bandy-legged. Ayr. c.1730 R. Chambers Sc. Songs (1829) I. 146:
I hae bocht Boulie Willie's lume.Ayr. 1821 Galt Ann. Parish xiii.; Ayr.⁸ 1935:
That duck was the first of the kind we had ever seen, and many thought it was of the goose species, only with short bowly legs.w.Dmf. 1908 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo (1914) i.:
And what a man he was aboot dugs — no' wee yelpin' critters wi' lang hair and boowlie legs, but great big massive chiels.

Combs.: (1) boully-backet, “hump-backed; also applied to one whose shoulders are very round” (Bnff.², Fif.¹⁰, Lnl.¹ 1935); (2) bowly-leggit, -legged, bow-legged.(1) Sc. 1837 H. Cockburn Some Letters (1932) 39:
When you're a Snowdrop you may be as boully-backet as you like.(2) Edb. 2003:
A bowlie-leggit wee fellae.wm.Sc. 1991 Liz Lochhead Bagpipe Muzak 18:
A lot of big black buildings and a gey smoky environment
For the loud and proud and bowly legged people of the Clyde. Rnf. 1935 G. Blake The Shipbuilders v.:
I'll sort ye, ye bowly legged wee bastard!Lnk. 1926 W. Queen We're a' Coortin 69:
It'll be Lord help you, for I ken wha ye are, ye wee, bowly-leggit scunner ye, if I come efter ye.

2. n. A bow-legged person (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 87, bowloch; n.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., bowlie, obsol.).Kcb.⁴ c.1900:
Bowloch. A person with legs wide at the knee, boo'ed like the sides o' a pair o' hems.Per. 1898 E.D.D. s.v. bowly:
He's a wee bowlie.