We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. By clicking 'continue' or by continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. You can change your cookie settings in your browser at any time.

Continue
Find out more

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

SOWDIE, n. Also sowdy, soudie, -y. A hotch-potch, a heterogeneous mixture, lit. and fig.; broth. See also Powsowdie. [′sʌudi]Sc. c.1700 Jacob. Relics (Hogg 1819) 20:
For statesmen, for taxmen, for soldiers, what think ye? Where shall ye see such, or find such a soudy?
Rnf. 1809 R. Tannahill Poems (1900) 200:
They gat naethin for crowdie but runts boiled tae sowdie.
Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xiv.:
A tongue that saured o' saep an' sour oudie.

[Orig. doubtful. Cf. the second element in Powsowdie, †possodie, which may be from the root of seethe, sodden, to boil.]

25089

snd