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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Fow, Fou, a. and adv. [Normal Sc. spelling of fū, reduced form of ME. and OE. full.]

a. adj. 1. Full (of something).(1) a1500 Seven S. 759.
He … fillit the twn with watter fow Ib. 1740.
Ane … barrell of gold fowe 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 335.
Thire fleis … are now fow of my blud c1500-c1512 Dunb. lx. 24.
Fill fow the glass and drynk me to 1535 Stewart 55824.
In the fleing dround wes mony ane … quhen the se was fow 1560 Rolland S.S. 2154.
This tre was laidin fow Of nobill frute Ib. 9772.
All his hall of nobill men is fow(2) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i. 564.
My sawis … ar richt suith and ar of sentence fow Id. Seven S. 3477.
Scho was of falset fow a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cv. 2.
Sum of the poyetis and makaris that ar now Off grit dispite and malice ar sa fow 1600-1610 Melvill 67.
He wald … bauldlie hauld thair eares fow of the treuthe

2. a. Of persons or the stomach. Full of food or drink. a1500 K. Hart 909.
Gluttony that oft maid me our fow 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 138.
Sum wald haue … thar wame fow 1535 Stewart 33289.
Vpoun ane nycht quhen tha war all rycht fow Of michtie wyne 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4274.
Quhen fuillis ar fow, then ar they faine a1568 Scott ii. 179.
Thair avairis … wer so fow and pang with drafe a1578 Pitsc. I. 91/10.
Thair is no talk to be had betuix ane fow man and ane fastand 1587-99 Hume iii. 224.
With bellie fow the beastes beliue Are turned fra the cornefig. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxv. 18.
My wame is of ȝonr lufe sa fow 1573 Sat. P. xlii. 680.
Saullis hunger thay feill nane thame sell, … Thay ar sa fow now thay need nane

b. Drunk, intoxicated. 1535 Stewart 8388.
To dance and drink, and ay to fill thame fow 1540 Lynd. Sat. 139.
Na, he is wod drunkin, I trow. Se ȝe not that he is wod fow? 1583 Sat. P. xlv. 747.
They baith gaid fow aneuch to bed a1585 Polwart Flyt. 171 (T).
Quhen the feynd wes a nicht fow, In banket birland at the beir 1604 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 128.
The said Magnus being fow and drunkin 1609 Crim. Trials III. 47.
He callis ane gritt number of the keiparis of the Castell into his chalmer, quhair he drinkis theme all fow

c. Pregnant a1568 Scott ii. 205.
Fra scho fell fow he fled away

b. adv. Fully; very. a1400 Leg. S. vii. 753.
He saw a wal [that] wes fow thyke c1420 Ratis R. 247.
Quha kepis thar handis innocent, Fow mekle a grace God has thaim lent 1511 Prestwick B. Rec. 43.
The said Johne seruit haill & fow, eftir the furme of his clame 15.. Christis Kirk 23 (B.).
Fow ȝellow ȝellow wes hir heid a1568 Bann. MS. 140 a/29.
Quha delt with thé thay wer fow daft