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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

COWLD, COWL, adj. and n. [kʌul(d), kɔul(d)]

1. adj. Cold (Cai.⁷, Arg.¹ 1940, cowld; Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn., cowl).Sh.(D) 1918 T. Manson Humours Peat Comm. I. 53:
My head is gettin cowld, an as I'm subject ta brooncaidies I widna winder bit what I'll be laid up.Sh. 1994 Laureen Johnson in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 171:
He wis tirn. He axed me what ta hell I wis playin at, haet wan meenit an cowld da next?Cai. 1992 James Miller A Fine White Stoor 77:
' ... Does it keep going for all these years and never stop? D'ye feel cowld as ye die? ... ' 

2. n. (1) Cold (referring to the weather) (Sh.⁴ 1934).Cai.⁷ 1942:
Chonnie 's oot 'ere in 'e cowld.Arg. 1998 Angus Martin The Song of the Quern 54:
An if ye haena got a shot tae haud ye at the quay
fillin endless baskets fae the howld,
as sure as Hell ye'll hae a spell
o mendin nets oot in the freezin cowld.

(2) Cold (referring to the ailment). Known to Cai.⁷ 1940.Sh.(D) 1916 J. J. H. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr, Navember 27:
Da haert hed da cowld; bit love made her a brocghen [Brochan, n.¹].