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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

GOWPENFU, n. Also gowpin-, -an, goupen-; gowpeen- (Rxb.); gjoppm- (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.), gopan- (Arg. 1936 L. McInnes Dial. S. Kintyre 14), goapin-, †gopin-. A double or, rarely, a single handful (Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr., Gl.; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 249). Gen.Sc., obsol. Also fig. = a (large) quantity.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 13:
Who for a knife Or penny whissle, will part wi' their gold In gopinfu's.Sc. 1838 Wilson's Tales of the Borders IV. 196:
As long's there's a plack to the fore in the purse, or a gowpenfu' o' meal in the kist, ye'se aye be welcome to a share.Dmf. 1852 Carlyle in Froude Life (1884) II. xx.:
An old Russian countess yesternight sat playing Gowpanfuls of gold pieces every stake.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxv.:
I tane up a gowpen-fu' o' snaw . . . an' drappit it gently doon the lum.Bnff. 1887 Trans. Bnffsh. Field Club 69:
The mill started, the fairies ground their meal, and when finished a small lady took a gowpen full of their meal and put it into John's hands.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 88:
I sighed . . . for a lang simmer's day to gather gowpenfu's of wild roses in the Pyet Holm.Abd. 1900 Banffshire Jnl. (18 Sept.) 3:
The fishwives . . . sold dulse at the rate of a half-penny a gowpenful.Edb. 1916 J. Fergus Sodger 14:
Yet a' the while his puir auld heart was far frae being tume, But held a gowpenfu' o' love for her his leddy dear.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 9:
Something ti serr as an off-pit . . . a gowpeenfih berries or a penny gray rowe.wm.Sc. 1992:
Two gowpenfuls o sugar, four gowpens o flooer, ... Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web v:
Dreich is a cauld, mochy, jeelin, dowie wird - a wird fur weather, character, emotion: an yon's bit scartit the tap o't, fur there's a guid gowpenfu o the eldritch steered inno't anna.

Phr.: †gowpinfu' o' a' thing, a contemptuous term applied to a foolish person, a laughing stock, “one who is a medley, or composition of every thing that is absurd” (Jam.²).Sc. 1814 C. I. Johnstone Saxon & Gael I vi.:
What's the tawpy gigglin' at; by my certy if I war at your lug I sud gar ye laugh the laugh o' Bamullo, ye gowpinfu' o' a' thing.