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: 1562-1563, 1627-1628
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Poy(e, v. [Etym. doubtful; perh. ultimately related to Powt v., Powt n. and Pow n.1; perh. also to e.m.E. (once) poy a pole (1486), mod. Northumb. dial. pooey, pu(o)y, powey, poy a punting-pole, and mod. Eng. dial. poy v. to pole or punt (a barge). ? Cf. also the later Sc. dial. poy v. to concentrate on work, also poy on, to bring influence to bear on.] tr. To poke, prod; intr., to poy on, id. — 1562-3 Winȝet I 8/2.
Dum doggis, quha … dar not only nocht barke, bot maist schamefullie poyit with staff and sting, dar nother quhryne nor quhynge a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1742.
Ye are like the wife will not trow that the bannok is baken quhill sche poye on it with her finger
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"Poy v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/poye>
