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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.

Foul, Fowl, n.¹ Also: fule, foule, foull, fowle, fowll, fowill, fewl. [ME. foul(e, fowl(e, fewle, fule, early foghel, foȝel, OE. fuᵹel, fuᵹol.]

1. A bird of any kind.(a) 1375 Barb. vii. 188.
He slepit as foul on twist a1400 Leg. S. i. 564.
He … flaw, as he a foule had bene Ib. xviii. 233.
Creatoure saw he nane, … Nothyre fule, man, na beste c1420 Wynt. i. 415.
To schype that foule came noucht agayne 1456 Hay I. 12/13.
The sparow … lyfis on sedis that ar poysoun till othir foulis 1474 Acts II. 107/2.
That na man … tak ony foulis out of wtheris dowcottis 1533 Boece vi. xv. 218 b.
Certane small foulis in maner of rane fell fra the hevin 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10496.
That bony foull of flicht, The nichtingaill 1596 Dalr. I. 39/11.
A certane foul … called the capercalȝe, … les indeid than the corbie 1623 Crim. Trials III. 557.
Thair was ane grit noyse maid be foullis … that arraisefig. 1600-1610 Melvill 274.
These simple foulles, this way fangit in the net of these craftie hountaris(b) c1450-2 Howlat 655.
All that war fowlis of reif a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 289.
Na fowlis of effect amangis tha binkis Biggis, nor abydis 1513 Doug. xii. v. 63.
Jovis fowle, the ern, com sorand by (a1570-86 Dunb.) Maitl. F. iii. 13.
Fowllis in the forrest that sang cleir 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Rostrum, the nebbe of a fowle 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. 150.
All alongst the mountains of Kinnoule, Where did we shoot at many foxe and fowle(c) c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 245 (M).
The joyfull fewlis mirralie did sing Id. Tua Mar. W. 519 (M).
The sweit sauour of the swarde and singing of fewlis

b. A wild bird commonly used for food. 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 13.
Byand wyld foulis till regrait agane to the kingis liegis 1541 Reg. Cupar A. II. 14.
Quhat fowlis at happynnis to be slane be him [as fowler] Ib.
Pluffar, dotrale, quhape, … and all vther sic small fowlis 1550 Reg. Privy C. I. 95.
That nane haron, duke, drake or ony fule … of revar be slane … bot be halkis alanerly a1540 Freiris Berw. 225 (M).
Cunyngis, caponis, and wyld fewlis fyne 1615 Highland P. III. 216.
Being accustomat … to tak a hacquebute and to shoite at foullis 1684 Urie Baron Ct. 98.
Ilke ane … acknowledegd … that they had killed ffoullis and haires

c. A domestic fowl. (See also Cane fowl.) c1500 Rowll Cursing 14.
Capounis, hennis, and vther foulls 1516 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 161.
Ane standand bed, and ane cavy to foulis 1566 Peebles B. Rec. 302.
The millar … sall nethir haild geis, foullis nor suyne 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 540.
Ane cavie for twa fowlis 1608 Mun. Univ. Glasg. III. 520.
Ane foull or the equivalent thairof, with gud quheit breid 1680 Foulis Acc. Bk. 49.
Thair was taken out another furlet corne to the fouls

2. In generic or collective sense: Birds. c1450-2 Howlat 80.
Fayne wald I wyte … Quha is fader of all foule c1460 Wisd. Sol. 748.
As fysch ar tan with huikis, and foul with lyme wandis c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiii. 63.
And quhen that he did mont on he, All fowill ferleit quhat he sowld be 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 7.
At nane pas out of the toune to by ony wyld foull or tayme to regrait agane 1617 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 297.
Thair is great store of fouleattrib. 1597 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 197.
That na unfrie persounes be fund in the … fowle markett or fruitt markett quhill xij howris be past