A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1475-1513, 1590
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Pow, Poll, n.1[ME powe (14th c.), later paw(e, OF powe, poue, var. of poe, pooe, appar. of Frankish origin, f. OLG *pauta, whence MDu. pôte Powt n.] The paw of an animal. Also, once, applied, dyslogistically, to the hand of Fortune. —a1500 Henr. Fab. 1418 (Bann.).
The noble lyoun … with his pow the maister mows he tukea1500 Ib. 1507 (Bann.).c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace xi 249.
The wod lyoun … braid … With his rude pollis in the mantill rocht sa1513 Doug. xi xiii 70.
With ane hydduus wolfis gapand iowis, With chaftis braid, quhyte teith, and bustuus powis —c1590 J. Stewart 81/48.
O friuole Fortoune … thow … for reuard presents thy pow behind
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"Pow n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/pow_n_1>
