A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1483-1611
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Fer(r)ow cow, n. Also: ferro, ferray. [Flem. verrekoe (Kilian 1599), varrekoe, also verwe-, varwekoe (De Bo), a cow no longer capable of bearing. Cf. Farrow, Forrow and Furrow Cow.] A cow not in calf. 1483 Acts Lords of Council *83/2.
Twa ȝeld ky, … viij ky with calf, … and sevin ferrow ky 1494 Ib. 363/1.
Withhalding fra him of xi ky with calf, twa ferow ky, aucht gelde ky 1513 Prestwick B. Rec. 45.
The said Mertyn sall haif leyf & licens … to hald j ferow kow or j mylk kow 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 200.
Giffand … for ilk ferrow kow, viij pund of buttir and four pund of girs maill 1588 St. A. Test. II. 98 b.
Ane ferrow kow, … ane stirk 1594 Brechin Testaments I. 121.
Ane auld ferray kow 1611 Ib. III. 205.
Ane auld ferrow kow
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Ferow Cow n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/ferrow_cow>
