Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†COWIE, n.1
1. A hornless cow (Sc. 1808 Jam., Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 236). Also found in Eng. dial. in form cowey (E.D.D.).Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan III. i.:
He was rinning bare-headed amang the hills, like an Isle of Mull cowie.
2. “The name given to the seal in the Firth of Tay, denominated from its round cowed head without any apparent ears and as resembling an animal that has no horns” (Sc. 1825 Jam.2).
3. The topmost sheaf built on a cornstack, with its butt upwards and spread out in a circle, called also the cowie-head, -shaif, or -tap (Per., Fif. 1957).
4. Comb. cowie-brecham, a plain horsecollar without a spike on top (Per., Fif. 1957). See Brecham.
[From Cow, v.1, n.2]
