A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Plew, v. Also: pleu-; plow(e, plou. [Late ME. plow (c 1420), repr. earlier ME. *plōȝe(n f. plōh Pleuch n.: cf. MDu., Du. ploegen, MLG., LG. plogen, ON. pløgja. In 16–17th c. Eng. the noun was usu. plough Pleuch and the verb plow. Cf. the later Pleuch v., directly derived f. Pleuch n.] To plough.
1. tr. To plough (land); to make furrows in. Also, only in the quot. for 1544, to plough of (lands).1544 Reg. Privy S. III. 159/1.
For oppressioun done to … his servandis plewine of his landis of [etc.] 1547 Blackfriars Perth 240.
Ilk ane of thame half plewing with half pleugh graith 1672 Stitchill Baron Ct. 62.
And the defender did never plow the samyn [land] 1676 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 229 (24 Oct.).
[He] intrometted with the halfe of the lay yeard being plewed 1706 Corshill Baron Ct. 218.
2. intr. To work as a ploughman; to till the ground.1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 14.
The swere … man will not plowe nor labour be reason of winter, therefore he sall begge in sommer
3. fig., or in fig. context, in senses 1 and 2 above.In the phr. to plew with (one's) heifer, after Judges xiv. 18, ? to have recourse to irregular or covert methods to achieve one's ends; in passive, to be betrayed by a supposed ally.(1) 1602 Colville Paraenese 119.
Ve be as ane feild … insufficient … except ve be pleuit harrowit heggit or hirdit 1657 Balfour Ann. I. 87.
The … oppressions quherwith the Englishe plowed the natione with(2) c1590 Fowler I. 311/9.
The plouers ploued vpon my bak And cuist there furrous long 1682 Peden Lords Trumpet 29.
The Lord is about to … louse their plough that is plowing deep in our Lords aikers in Scotland(3) 1600-1610 Melvill 415.
Also ther was … mikle ado usit plewing alwayes with our hiffers whow to gett a moderator meit for the purpose 1680 Dunlop P. III. 8.
For they war plowed with hiferes of their own by whom we received the knowledge of what a lenth they did intend to com at with him
