A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Scrow, Skrow, Screw, n.2 Also: skrou(e, skrw; skrew, scrue; scro(u)le; screill. [Late ME scrwe (1404), e.m.E. skrewe (1497), skrue (1570), scrue (1574), prob. OF escroe (1270) n. fem. a sow; a female screw, escroue (1392), also, similarly, the upper part of a press; cf. MLG, MDu. schrûve, Dan. skrue.]
1. Part of the furniture of a gun, ? a rod with a ‘worm’ or boring mechanism attached to one end, used to remove the charge, etc. Also attrib. with gin.(a) 1562–3 Treas. Acc. XI 247.
Danskin irne to mak skrowis and uthir fire werk to jclj culveringis 1562–3 Treas. Acc. XI 248 (see Rangear n.). 1569–70 Canongate Ct. Bk. 145.
Ane culvering ressavit be hir … to have causit hir said husband mak ane skrow thairto 1584 Perth B. Ct. 11 Aug.
Ane hakbut with snap wark scrow & calmes 1612 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 190.
My gryt hakbut with the scrow … my uther snap hakbut with my bandeler … and the scrow with a key 1644 Edinb. Test. LXI 34b.
Twa gunes with thair scrowis works & pertinents 1663 Old Ross-shire I 211.
Thrie gun scrowes(b) 1648 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 121.
Ane double hagbut indentit with bain haveing ane rair snap work with scroule worme [pr. worne] and ram stickattrib. 1639–40 Ruthven Corr. 50.
Wadhooks … Handspickes … A ginne furnished … A screw-ginn
b. A corkscrew.1697 Foulis Acc. Bk. 209.
To the men at the paper milne to drink 7sh, for a screw for bottles 5sh
2. ? A screw or ? an example of Scrow n.1 1. b. Skrwbaur, ? a bar into which (something) might be screwed or to which (it) might be attached with screws.1586 Edinb. Test. XV 348.
Sevin pund of skrowis at iij s. the pund … xxvij stane … of osmont irneb. 1554 Dundee B. Ct. II fol. 325b (24 July).
The provest bailȝies & counsale of tollerance hes licient George Rollok eldar to mak ane skrwbaur of fyve fut breid abone his bwyth to put the drop ower the laiche bwthe durris without standing vprichtt
3. That part of a mechanism which allows pressure to be exerted, chiefly in relation to the working of metal and, specif., the cutting of coins. Also attrib. with plate.Quots. 1673 and 1609 may belong elsewhere, 1609 perhaps in sense 1.(a) 1649 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I liii.
Great Forge … 3 steill cheisles for the cutting of screwis 1663 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 450.
The … merk peices … to be printed by presses that goes with swey and scrue 1664 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 522.
The four merk peices … to be printed by presses that goes with swey and screw 1668 Edinb. Test. LXXIII 225b.
Samuell Hoyle coppersmyth … Six stand of moulds with boords and skroues thrie coper lignetts with tuo leadons 1673 Leith Customs 7.
1 hand knife & scrue, 1 ingine knife [etc.](b) 1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I 202b.
Ane scrole, ane fork, tua stog irnis, ane croke [etc.]attrib. 1649 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I liii.
2 knyvis for turneing of the rolleris with ane key 3 screw plaitis on rench [etc.] 1687 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XXVII 144.
We … went in to Callender's where we saw the screw plates
b. An instrument of torture.1657 Balfour Ann. III 428.
Fearing that … notwithstanding the naturall drynesse of hes lancke leane bodey ȝet they would … squisse him with ther skrewes
c. ? A mechanism for determining the curvature of barrel staves.1595 Irvine Mun. II 34.
For skarsnes of tymmer in this west cuntrey and for scrowis for making of treis in sic greit quantite to be very rair and scant to be goitten and thairfore harde it is to keip the said greit gadge [sc. of hogsheads]
