Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1750-1751, 1825-1914
[0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
CHOW, n.2 Also chew, chaw; jow.
†1. The game of shinty. Mry. after 1750 Pluscarden MS.:
At eel they played at the chow.Mry. 1840 Lintie o' Moray (1887) 90:
Many a game at "chow" In former days was seen, Sir!Bnff. 1895 W. Cramond Parish of Grange 19:
The people played at the boules, they played at the chaw.Abd. 1890 Sc. N. & Q. (Ser. 1) IV. 26:
In the lower part of Buchan Shinty was known as The Cutty Sow, often as the Chew or Chow.
2. The wooden ball used in the game of shinty, or "in a game like shinty played on the sands at Sandend mostly at 'Auld Eel'" (Bnff.9 c.1927).Mry., Bnff. 1825 Jam.2:
After the chow is struck off by one party, the aim of the other is to strike it back, that it may not reach the . . . goal on their side.Bnff.6 1914:
Be sure an fess yer chow wi ye fin ye come back fae yer denner.
3. "A big lump or mass of something, turf, etc.; e.g. 'a yarfa [peat] chow'" (Ork. 1929 Marw.). [tʃɔu (Marw.)]Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 118:
His fit, a' black, wi' jows o' seut.
4. "The roundish end of the carn tangle [q.v.]" (Mry.4 1932).
5. "A bullet-head" (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff., Add. 219; Bnff. 1898 E.D.D.).
6. The game of golf (Abd. (Bch. coast) 1965).
[Ad. North. Fr. dial. cho(u)le, cholle, a ball or block of wood used in hockey or football.]
