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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.

Jow, n.¹ Also: Jowe, Jou. [ME. Jow ( 14th c.), Juw, Juu, Ju (a 1300), Gyu (c 1275), plur. Joues, Jowes (a 1340), Juwis, Juues, Juus (a 1300), Giwis (c 1175), OF. giu, gyu, giue. The more common Sc. form, and after the 14th c. chiefly or only Sc. Cf. Jew n.]

A Jew, a Hebrew. In plur., freq. = the Jewish nation or race.(1) sing. a1400 Leg. S. ii. 1001.
Ȝe sall apertly prewe … That I ame verray Jow Ib. xxxvi. 961.
With a Jow he gat thir twa That he to wif befor can ta 1456 Hay II. 159/13.
A Sarrazene … hapnyt till ourtak a Jow Ib. /18.
And sa the Sarrazene sperit at the Jowe quhat lay he lyvit apon c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxii. 9.
Me thocht that Judas with mony a Jow Tuke blissit Jhesu 1535 Stewart 48430.
No Jow or Turk thow hes done ws sic ill c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3952.
The prudent Jow, Josephus, sayis That he wes present in those dayis 1570 Sat. P. xxiv. 51.
Ane Turk, ane Jow, or than the mekle Deill, To thy foule tressoun trewly na compair 1572 Ib. xxxi. 173.
Nane of Scottis blude In Scotland dar him self auow, Mair nor in Jurie dois the Jow(2) plur. a1400 Leg. S. i. 657.
Paganis and Jowis fellely Buffit thame dispituisly Ib. ii. 69.
Twa ȝer … in prechinge ilkaday Agane the Jowis Ib. xvi. 626.
Quhare Criste … was eftyr tane With fals Jowis mony ane c1420 Wynt. v. 301.
Mony off Jowys and Gentyl Till hym he drewe ?1438 Alex. ii. 9941.
Of thir thre Jowes we find it writ, … Josua, … David, … Judas Machabeus 1456 Hay I. 187/22.
Gif that haly kirk may move were agaynis the Jowis, Goddis inymyes a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 692.
The quhilkis [signs] Sanct Jerome wraite In Jowis bukis as he thaim fand in feire Ib. 995.
As King of Jowis thai salust him in scorne c1515 Asl. MS. I. 314/10.
Jowis etis neuer sennonis a1568 Gyre-carling 25.
The carling … Is mareit with Mahomyte, And will the doggis interdyte For scho is quene of Jowis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5203.
All Turkis, Sarasenis, and Jowis, That in the Sonne of God nocht trowis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1963.
I will pas now to the Halie land And fecht with Jowis 1563 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 242.
The Jowes … persuading circumcisione to be necessare with baptisme a1578 Pitsc. I. 392/14.
Quhene the said Haman … could not be content witht his poore bretherin of the Jowis 1622-6 Bisset I. 7/34.
Succeded Pontius Pilat in the governament of the Jowes

b. Loosely, as a term of abuse: An unbeliever, an infidel. Also attrib. 1506 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 155.
Johne Elphinstoun is a defamit persone … and ane verray erratik and a Jow a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 524.
Judas, Jow, iuglour, Lollard laureate c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiii. 31.
The Jow was of a grit engyne And generit was of gyans Ib. lx. 15.
Fowll Jow jowrdane hedit jevellis