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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Poll, Pow, n.¹ Also: ? Powll. [Cf. Sc. and Ir. Gael. poll pit, hole, mire, pond, pool, gulf, inlet of the sea, and Welsh pwll, Cornish pol, Breton poull pool.Common in place-names, esp. in eastern, central and west-central Scotland: see G.W.S. Barrow Robert Bruce (1965) 302, and W.J. Watson Celtic Place Names (1926) 204. Also in place-names of Cumberland: see E. Ekwall English River-Names (1928) 329–330.In the mod. dial., as pow, in the regions of Tay and Forth in sense 1, in central and south-western Scotland in sense 2, and in the same areas and also Caithness, Orkney and Shetland in the sense ‘pool’, though the latter sense is not definitely attested for OSc., one or two of the quots. given under sense 1 below, e.g. that for 1628, might conceivably stand for this.]

1. A slow-moving, ditch-like stream, flowing through carse-land.A burn ‘flowing sluggishly through carseland, often having deep, peaty pools with crumbling overhanging banks’ (Barrow).(a) 1304 J. Stevenson Docs. Illustr. Hist. Scotl. (1870) II 472.]
[Et ausint le conte de Carrike & hellip; se trient … vers les Torres e les Polles 1375 Barb. xii 395 (C).
For in the kers pollis [E. pulis; Hart puilles] ther war, Howsis and thak thai brak, and bar Ta [sic in pr.] mak bryggis quhar thai mycht pas Ib. 404.
Swa that thai had … Briggit the pollis [E. pulis] 1560 Reg. Cupar A. II 272.
Componit with Alexander Jakson for a few of ij acris of land … vpoun the northt syde of the poll 1673 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt.
The mynd betwixt the tuo northart polls(b) 1540 Acts II 379/1.
The landis of Westire Logy with the powis powlandis and foirbank tharof 1628 Stirling Ant. IV 187.
[To a marche dyke] at the pow of the borrow milne of Stirling 1641 Acts V 552/1.
That ther landis adjacent to the said pow [of Inchaffray] … are oftymes overflowed with water … that ilk ane of them … dige avay the grasse and swaird groweing in the said pow … and cast the same pow and current therof tuo elnes deepe and four elnes broad … and keepe it cleene [etc.] 1648 Edinb. Test. LXIII 334.
Johne Hutoune at the pow of Adie

2. A creek or inlet (? at the mouth of a stream as in sense 1) serving as a dock or wharf.Also plur., appar. in sing. sense.? Also a wharf, more generally.(a) 1506 Treas. Acc. III 296.
To the wrichtis passand to the poll of Erth for the schip calfuting thare Ib. 326. 1507–8 Ib. IV 103.(b) 1506 Treas. Acc. III 191.
To the bote men of Leith that bringis the tymir fra the pow xiiij s. 1512 Ib. IV 346. 1512–3 Ib. 463. 1565 Reg. Privy S. V i 613/1.
Iacente inter ianuam vocatam the Pow [sc. of Newburgh or Lindores] ex orientali 1591 Reg. Morton I 176.
Thai suld cum to the pow of Lendoris … this Tvysday at twa efter none 1615 Acts & Decr. 295/216 b (24 Feb.).
The pow and herberie of Alloway 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 82.
For careing of aill wyne beir [etc.] … from Kinnaird to the pow of Monros to be schippit thair 1644 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 53 b.
Hors dairges to the new powplur. 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 444.
To furnis the werk in the schip … quhen sho lay in the powis of Arth 1542–3 Corr. M. Lorraine 11.
Schippis … ma cum to the powis of Artht and gud lying thar

3. Attrib. and comb.(1) 1481 Acta Aud. 95/2.
The malis of the thrid of the mylne callit the pow mylne of Dalkeith 1540 Acts II 379/1 (see 1 (b) above).
Powlandis 1579 Edinb. Test. VII 147.
I lene [etc.] … the kyndnes of the pleuch still of Kirkbene with the croft of the pow syde 1644 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 30.
To the salteris at the pow geatt [£2. 6s. 8d.](2) 1563 Edinb. B. Deeds 84.
Liand … on the eist the said mure … and the powburne