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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

ABLOW, ABLO, AB'LOW, prep., adv.  See also Aneth. [ə′blo:]

1. prep.

(1) Under, below; often preceded by in.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne A Lan'wart Loon 9:
Ablow the brig the burn was dingin'.n.Sc. 1916 Murdoch Maclean Songs of a Roving Celt 47:
But the bull, it is said, lost a' its mense An' pitched the callant ab'low the fence.Mry.(D) 1894 J. Slater Seaside Idylls 101:
Stan' tee ablow her side an' shak 'er up. [Said in launching a fishing boat.]Ags.(D) 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy xiv. 141:
He . . . put ane o' his hands in ablo the tails o' his coat.m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 33:
Yince, pipes ablo his oxter
he heard the rettle
o my aums in his tinnie.em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 66:
' ... I kept ma heid abune it aw when I couldna keep it ablow the dyke, John, an I advise ye tae dae the same in these troubled days ... 'Per. 1990 Betsy Whyte Red Rowans and Wild Honey (1991) 203:
'Ach dinnae let them get ye bothered, lassie. Here, Betsy, put this ablow your pillow the night.' Mother had put the rowan sprig into a wee paper poke.Fif. 1896 Gabriel Setoun R. Urquhart, vii. 82:
Ye've howkit his [name] out, I see; but, man, ye leave an ugly gash ablow hers.w.Lth. 2000 Davie Kerr A Puckle Poems 28:
Dinnae buck the system Dad,
ye wullnae git yir pension.
Thon wee kist, ablo the bed,
ye dinnae need ti mention.Edb. 1893 W. G. Stevenson Wee Johnnie Paterson (1914) 70:
That wad be the bundle Jamie brocht oot ablow his oxter.wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 9:
Riftin', dozent and weel-fed
He left the empty dishes, socht his bed
Whaur he slept a' nicht unfashed wi' guilt
Fartin' ablow the feather quilt.Dmb. 1898 Jas. M. Slimmon The Dead Planet and Other Poems 146:
As wimplin' laich ablow the bank It trintles by the toun.Gsw.(D) 1903 J. J. Bell Wee Macgreegor 35:
Keep yersel' ablow the claes, ma mannie.Gsw. 1915 Ian Hay The First Hundred Thousand (1985) 45:
"See the kirk, in ablow the brae!" says someone else, in a pleased voice. "It has a nock in the steeple."Gsw. 1987 Peter Mason C'mon Geeze Yer Patter! 15:
Mind take the hoover tae that oose in ablow the bed. Remember to vacuum clean the fluff underneath the bed.Gsw. 1991 James Alex McCash in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 14:
Latent: germinant, the foetal, crescive dawn ablow
dull leiden cloud quickens, crepusculine.Kcb. 1893 S. R. Crockett Stickit Minister vii. 81:
I pat it ablow the clock for fear the wun's o' heeven micht blaw it awa'.

(2) On the lower side or part of; lower down in; further down from.Sc. 1928 Wendy Wood Deevil's Elbow, Sc. Mag. Jan. 304:
Doon ab'low the Elbow Their tunnel'd canvas glows.Kcb. 1885 A. J. Armstrong Friend and Foe 156:
Come this way, Willie, we'll keep ower abune the Canee . . . an' strike the road a wee ablow the Buckland brig.

2. adv. Below, beneath, lower down.Sc. 1897 Ld. E. Hamilton Outlaws of the Marches xiii. 151:
You need but scart a lass to find the bawdrons no sae far ablow.Sc. 1925 “Domsie” Scots Poems for Children, Keek-a-bo:
Oh! siccan joy I had ablow At Keek-a-bo.Rxb. 1916 Kelso Chronicle 31 March 4/1:
Doon ablow it's dreich and gloomy as we wade among the slush.