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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Schow, n.¹ Also: chow, schove, shue, (schew). [ME and e.m.E. scou, chou (both Cursor M.), shoffe (c1450), shoue (1581); S(c)how v.]

1. A hard push; a shove. 1460 Hay Alex. 321.
And with that worde he gaue him sic ane sch[o]w [MS schew] That oure the kirnall he went with ane fors a1500 Rauf C. 698.
As he gat ben throw He gat mony greit schow Bot he was stalwart I trow c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 7/11.
Methocht Judas with mony ane Jow Tuik blissit Jesu … And schot him furth with mony ane schow

2. A strong, or impetuous, move forward; an attack (upon another). a1500 Henr. Fab. 1974.
Thow can … mak ane suddand schow [H. chow] vpon ane scheip 1535 Stewart 30191.
Thair rais greit murmour … With … sic ane schouder and schow That euirilk one that tyme ȝeid other throw Ib. 36943.
Tha enterit all rycht sone and suddantly With sic ane schow quhill all the schawis schuik 1614 Lanark B. Rec. 121.
He being fwl of drink makes ane schove or ane mint to me

3. An onrush; a sudden flood (of water). 1533 Boece 586b.
The Inglis camp … with harnes cariage hors … be suddand schow of the watter war borne to the sey

4. In a shue, with a swinging motion through the air.Cf. later and mod. Sc. dial. shue, shoo, etc., ‘a rocking, to-and-fro motion; a swing or swinging rope [etc.]’ (SND, s.v. Shue n. 1), also Schoggy-shou n. 1697 Renfrewshire Witches 85.
Nine or ten persons … had carried her away in a shue (as she termed it, that is, as one swinging upon a rope). … The night following she … was carried down again … in a shue or swing