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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SCROW, n.¹. v. Also skrow, screw, scroue. Sc. forms of Eng. scroll. See also Scroll. [skeʌu]

I. n. 1. Gen. in pl.: long strips or thin parings or scraps of hides or skins, used for making glue, damaged or torn hides sim. used (Sc. 1825 Jam.). Also in n.Eng. dial.Sc. 1775 Caled. Mercury (10 May):
Tanners and Skinners having any quantity of good and clean scrows, either wet or dry.Sc. 1814 J. Sinclair Agric. Scot. App. II. 299:
He prepares a strong jelly from the skins of animals, but particularly from the offal commonly denominated scrows, which is the refuse of the tanners and tawers.Sc. 1879 Encycl. Britannica X. 133:
So prepared the “scrows” or glue pieces, as they are termed, may be kept a long time without undergoing change.

2. Fig. A long list or roll of persons, hence a crowd, multitude of people, a mob, gen. implying bustle or hurlyburly (Gall., Dmf., Slk. 1825 Jam.; Cld. 1880 Jam.; Kcb.⁴ 1900). Hence scrowy, adj., forming a rabble, nondescript.Kcb. 1808 J. Mayne Siller Gun 73:
To bell the cat wi' sic a scrow, Some swankies ettled.Sc. 1831 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) III. 339:
The same seditious scrow o' scoonrels.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 101:
With a screw of dirty weans at her fit.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) 25:
He ca's the Baptists an' Independents an' sic-like juist a kurn ootlan' scrowy craturs.

3. A commotion, to-do, row, quarrel. Also in n.Eng. dial.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck xiv.:
Things canna be muckle waur wi' me; the scrow's come fairly to the neb o' the mire-snipe now.

II. v. 1. To cut off strips or scraps from hides or skins for scrows (wm.Sc. 1880 Jam.). See I. 1. above.

2. To write out in extenso, to copy, engross.Abd. 1706 Abd. Jnl. N. & Q. VII. 28:
To Thomas Shand for scroueing the seaseing and for drink money.

3. To enroll, put on a roll or list, enlist.Sc. c.1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) III. 209:
Thinking how his ain doited pow Had scrow'd him in the Cuckold' Row.

4. To crowd, assemble in numbers, swarm.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 111:
Hear what a din and hum Frae skolars thickly scrowing.Dmf. 1847 Chambers's Jnl. (14 Aug.) 112:
How the bairnies wad scrow Around me, and ilka ane pook at my pow!