Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GOWP, n.³, v.³ Also gup (Sh.). Sc. forms of Eng. gulp; see P.L.D. § 78. [gʌup]

I. n. “A gulp, a large mouthful, generally applied to liquids” (Sc. 1818 Sawers; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 249; ne.Sc., m.Lth. 1955). Lnl. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 119:
We'll be the better o' a gowp of the callour air.

II. v. To gulp (Lnk. 1825 Jam.; Ayr.⁴ 1928), swallow hastily, consume (Sh., ne.Sc., Ags., m.Lth., ‡s.Sc. 1955).Sc.(E) 1879 P. H. Waddell Isaiah xix. 3:
An' her counsail in hail, I sal gowp it a'.Ib. x. 14:
An' the blum o' his forest an' fauld, frae the lith to the lyre, he sal gowp i' the fire.Rnf. 1884 J. Nicholson Willie Waugh 84:
The glass in ae han', water in the ither, He gowp'd it owre, nor lang at it did swither.Rxb. 1933 Kelso Chron. (3 Nov.) 5:
It wis waesome in the mornin' when the fishers gaithered a' Tae see them gowp their parritch frae a plate withoot a flaw.Ags.¹⁸ 1954:
He jist gowps doon his meat.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 40:
Na, ye're owre young
(he gowped doon the nip), ay, but you wait,
ae day you'll be unstrung