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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.

Fowsie, Fousie, n. Also: fousye, fousey; foussye, -ey, -ie, fouscie; fowsy, fowcy, pl. fowseis; fowsee, -sea, -sey, -say; fowssie, -ye, -y, -ey, -ay; fusie, pl. fuseis, fuseas; fussie, fuissie. [F. fossé. For the vowel cf. Fous n.] A fosse or ditch.(a) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 785.
That gudlie garth … Quhilk with a large fowsie far on breid Inueronit was Id. Æn. i. vii. 15.
Sum about delvys the fowsy deip Ib. vii. ii. 62.
To found thy first cite … Dychit with fowsys 1533 Bell. Livy I. 52/18.
The Albanis … beltit thare armye with ane strang fowsye on euery side 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 151.
Quhen the blynde ledis the blynd, baith fallis in the fowsie a1578 Pitsc. I. 336/14.
Ane great fowsie … of watter of sexteene foot deipe 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. 164.
On either hand are fowsies deep Where gorged waters stand(b) 1513 Doug. i. vii. 15 (Sm).
Sum about delvis the fowssy deip 1535 Stewart 6734.
Ane nobill toun … With dowbill stank and fowsseis mony one a1595 Descr. Isles in Skene Celtic Sc. III. 435.
Thay will cast ane fowssie or stank throw the … mos 1611 Reg. Panmure I. p. xcii.
Discendinge be ane fowssay … towards the north 1633 M. Works Acc. XXVII. 20 b.
The wall that goes about the great fowssie(c) 1513 Doug. ix. iii. 160.
Quhat meyn thai be … This litill stop of dykis and fowseis all? 1531 Bell. Boece II. 243.
Sindry fowseis of watter and fail … was maid 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 121.
To twa warkmen for helping the fowseis of the kirk yeard a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 369.
For the castell is … circuit with walter and strang fowseis(d) 1513 Doug. ix. ii. 24.
Eneas … bad thai suld … kepe thar wallys … With fowcy dichis Ib. xi. xvii. 45.
Sum in the holl fowcy war tumlyt dovn(e) 1535 Stewart 36998.
Betuix ane fousie and ane stalwart dyke The passage wes 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 367.
Casting done of ane fousie biggit … at the Burro Lowch 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 226.
All the wallis, fousies and portis … wer newlie biggit 1600 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 297.
To caus cast ane … fousie at the wast end of the loche 1639 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 150.
The act and ordinance … anent the fortiffieing of this burghe, and casting of trinshes and fousies about the same(f) 1529 Aberd. Chart. 45.
To big … fortalices, strenthis, fousseis and munitionis 1533 Boece vii. ii. 223 b.
Thai war commandit to cast ane brade and profound foussy 1548 Treas. Acc. IX. 264.
To attend to the foussye … to be castyn aboute Dunde 1587-99 Hume vii. 73.
The lifely forme of fousseis large and deepe c1610 Melvil Mem. 23.
Themperour set down his camp … and maid trenschees and deep foussies around the same 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. i. 33.
He discovers … fenced towns, With foussies, bulwarks, and great guns(g) 1558-66 Knox I. 175.
His head was brokin, the keyis … were castin in the fowsea 1573 Sat. P. xxxix. 90.
The castell segit, all beset about With fowseyis wyde 1599 Reg. Great S. 315/1.
Aliud lie butt … inter commune morum et lie dyke et fowsay(h) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5084.
Thir four punsiounis … thay hid … Sum in fuseis, in draw wellis and in dykis 1601 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 297.
To caus cast ane fusie at the wast end of the loche 1633 Acts V. 86/2.
The said burgh … with the precinct walles, fuissies, ports, ways [etc.] 1639 Baillie I. 197.
The towns of Fife all along the shore, made up … sconces and fussies(i) 1581 Treas. Acc. MS. 50(2).
To the warkman that kaist the fowlsies of Leith 1591 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 42.
With condition that thair be na fowlsey outwith his wall 1592 Ib. 64.
To caus cast ane fowlsie about the wallis of the gallous