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.
Quotation dates: 1827-1883
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COWL, n. Sc. usages. For Sc. forms see Cool, n. [kul]
1. A close-fitting cap, gen. of woollen material; a night-cap.Abd.(D) 1877 W. Alexander North. Rural Life in 18th Cent. xv.:
On his head, when in the sort of undress that served for every-day home use, he wore a worsted nightcap, or Kilmarnock cowl.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 58:
Cap and cowls, and bannets blue.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) viii.:
I threw my cowl into a corner.Lnk. 1883 W. Thomson Leddy May 113:
His croon wis nocht but a cotton cowl.
2. One who wears such a cap: applied to an Ayrshire covenanter. Cf. Kilmarnock, n., 2.Sc. 1830 Scott Bonny Dundee in Doom of Devorgoil, Act II. Sc. ii.:
These cowls of Kilmarnock had spits and had spears, And lang hafted gullies to kill Cavaliers.
