Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Lows-, Lousing, vbl. n.² Also: -eing. [Cf. Los(s)in(g vbl. n.³ and Lows v.²] a. The unloading of a ship; a ship's discharging of cargo. Also attrib. in lousing-place. 1566 Treas. Acc. MS. 63.
For expensis … vpoun the losing of certane grit tymmer … furth of ane boyart and ane grit bote careing and lowsing of the samyn 1616 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 10.
At the lousing of the grit schip aucht men four tydis haiffing vi s. viii d. the tyde 1631–49 Conv. Burghs IV. 546.
How loading and louseing may be restricted to ports belonging to free burrows Ib. 551.attrib. c1575 Balfour Pract. 617.
Bot gif he [the pilot] be not oblist … to bring hir to him lousing place

b. The throwing overboard of freight so as to lighten ship: cf. Los v.³ 3.Possibly with admixture of Lowsing vbl. n.¹, as ‘unfastening, casting loose from its securings’. 1590 Welwod 69.
Giff it happins throw the lowsing of the gear cassin … that any uther gear in the schip be spilt with water or otherwaies … contributioun sall be made thairfoir