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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
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.

DOW, †Dowe, v.², n.² [dʌu]

1. v.

(1) To fade (away), to wither, to become musty (Sh.¹¹, ‡Ork.² 1949; Cai. 1900 E.D.D.; Cai.⁷ 1940; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein). Of the wind: to moderate, die down. Also tr. to cause to decline or fade. Also fig. Commonly found in ppl.adj. dow(e)d, dowit, faded, withered (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.), stale, esp. (a) of food: lukewarm (Rxb. 1825 Jam.²; 1923 Watson W.-B., obsol.); (b) of fish: not fresh (Abd. 1949 (per Abd.²⁷)), “as fish kept without salt” (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.); also applied to fish that have been drying for a day or two (Cai. 1907 D. B. Nicolson in County of Cai. 70); (c) of wood: rotten with wet (Rs. (Avoch) 1916 T.S.D.C. II., dowit); †(d) of drink: flat (see 1721 quot.); ¶(e) of work: slack (see 1790 quot.). Also in n.Eng. dial.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems 30:
She ne'er gae in a Lawin fause, . . . Nor kept dow'd Tip within her Waw's.Sc. 1737 Ramsay Proverbs 14:
Cast na out the dow'd Water till ye get the fresh.Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xx.:
Carnal morality as dow'd and as fusionless as rue leaves at Yule.Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 26:
Dey might a hed a supper o' fresh fish, if ye'd geen hame in ony kind o' time, an' noo dey'll be dowd at da best o' it.Mry. after 1750 Pluscarden MS. II. 104:
The thistles were pulled out among the corn and spread out under the sun for an hour or so to “dow.”Bch. 1948 (per J. Duthie):
An old saying: “The win' dowin The motion of the sea growin.”Ags. 1790 D. Morison Poems 161:
Good day kind Maron, here the wark's ne'er dow'd, The hand that's diligent ay gathers gowd.Ags. 1846 G. Macfarlane Rhymes 111:
That there, tho' noo in healthfu' bloom, You'll dow an' dee yoursel', Jamie.Ags. a.1879 Forfar Poets (Fenton) 146:
She's dowed my heart an' bleared my een, An' dung me doited an' dementit.Ags.³ 1930:
After putting in a bed of flowers or seeds: “did ye gie them the gairdener's word — ‘Grow or Dow'?”Fif. 1875 A. Burgess Bk. of Nettercaps 36:
I'm like a Seabie-Tail — I'm dowd an Feeble.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 63:
My fame, my honour, like my flow'rs maun dow.Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems I. 75:
The bloom on your cheek will soon dow in the snaw.Ayr. a.1878 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage, etc. and Poems (1892) 329:
Our gaudiest of flowers Are flowers that soonest dow.Kcb. a.1902 J. Heughan in Gallovidian (1913) No. 59, 108:
Then Puirtith's raggit claws Richt's risp shall clowe And tholin' shall devall, and doun-hauds dow.

†(2) With o'er: to doze off.Abd. 1778 A. Ross Helenore 84:
Down they creep, And crack till baith dow'd o'er at last asleep.

†(3) Of day: to decline.Ayr. 1842 H. Ainslie in Whistle-Binkie (Series 3) 95:
The day begins to dow.

2. n.

(1) Fading, withering.Edb. 1871 J. Ballantine Lilias Lee 205:
The dow o' the leaf and the fa' o' the year.

(2) Twilight; the time when light is fading.Abd. 1894 W. Gregor in Trans. Bch. Field Club III. 154:
The “Yeel Brehd” was baked on the day before Christmas in the “dow” of the day, i.e. between mid-day and 6 o'clock p.m. The rhyme is: Bake yer Yeel Brehd i the dow, An' that 'ill mack yer bairns thrive and grow.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage, etc. 222:
Syne canty in the dowe O' a bonny July e'en, I gaed dannering down the howe.