Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
ROO, v.1 Also rou, ru, rue; row. In Sh. and Ork., to strip the fleece from one of the native breed of sheep by plucking it with the fingers instead of shearing (Sh., Ork. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl., ru; Ork. 1929 Marw.; Sh. 1968). Also, in modern usage, to clip sheep (Sh. 1968). Also transf. and fig. in phr. tae get one's lugs tae roo, to get into serious trouble. Cf. Lug, n.1, 8. (9), (10). [ru:]Ork. 1714 H. Marwick Merchant Lairds (1936) I. 44:
I expect ye will cause rou my sheep and see the woul weighted.Sh. a.1725 T. Gifford Hist. descr. Zetland (1879) 75:
That none mark lambs or row sheep where there is different owners in the flock.I.Sc. 1775 D. Loch Essay on Trade 40:
They are in use to row their sheep, as they call it, that is, pull off the wool with their hands.Sh. 1822 S. Hibbert Descr. Sh. 439:
All the proprietors of a flock were assembled for the purpose of rueing, or tearing off with the hand the wool from sheep, after it had naturally begun to loosen.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 119:
The wratched low his heed hed rued; A' bit de cue wus fairly stooed.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (14 May):
Foo mony [sheep] wid we a hed ta roo by dis time?Ork. 1902 Old-Lore Misc. III. i. 25:
No tenant shall be permitted to rue his sheep anywhere but in the said poinds.Sh. 1961 New Shetlander No. 58. 17:
An if du's no ootside in a second or two, Du'll git dy bluid ta lick an dy lugs ta roo!
Derivs.: 1. rooable, of a sheep's fleece, suitable for plucking by hand (Sh. 1968); 2. rooing, vbl.n., the plucking of a fleece by hand; in modern usage only, referring to imported breeds of sheep, the clipping of a fleece (Sh. 1968). Also attrib. in rooing day, time.2. Ork. 1757 Session Papers, Galloway v. Morton (12 Nov.) 158:
To take a bught Sheep yearly at rowing or shearing Time.Sh. 1807 J. Hall Travels I. 532:
The wool is not shorn, but plucked off by the hand. Nor does this operation, here called rooing, seem to give the animal the smallest pain, if performed at the proper season, when the wool is almost ready to drop off.Ork. 1884 R. M. Fergusson Rambles 183:
It is the rooing day, when the sheep are shorn.Sh. 1900 Shetland News (10 Feb.):
Dey'll be maist apo' da sheep whin da roin time comes.Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. viii. 307:
About the first of June the bailie gave notice to the church beadle to “cry” at the church door when and where the “rooing” of the sheep was to take place.Sh. 1938 M. Powell 200,000 Feet on Foula 232:
She [a ewe] has avoided “rooing” for two seasons.
