Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BOWSIE, BOWZIE, Bouzy, Boozy, adj.2 “Big, puffed up, corpulent” (Mry.1 1914, Bnff.2, Abd.22, Kcb.9 1935). [′bʌuzi, ′bu:zi]Mearns 1825 Jam.2:
Bouzy, Bowsie, Boozy. Fat and overgrown, having at the same time a jolly good-humoured appearance.Dundee 1994 Matthew Fitt in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 178:
The young lad hud goat himsel fankilt up in a dug's lead, a wee scottie nyaffin at his feet an a bowsie wyfie wi a blue rinse yappin at him tae hae mair mennirs, whan he sein her.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 88:
Bowzie. Looking fat like. A man is said to be so that fills his waistcoat well.Dmf. 1861 R. Quinn Heather Lintie 140:
'Tis weel tae be rich, tae be bowsie an' braw, Wi' ilk thing that's needed tae come at yer ca'.
Hence boozy-like (see quot.).Lth. 1825 Jam.2, s.v. bouzy:
It is said of a pregnant woman, whose shape is considerably altered, that she is grown boozy-like.
