Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1850-1880, 1940-1953
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THOWL, n. Also thowal, thowel(l), thouell (Sc. 1845 T. Brown Dict. 137); thow (Cai., Per. 1921 T.S.D.C.; Fif., Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 270; n. and em.Sc. 1972); erron. thaw (Sc. 1741 A. McDonald Galick Vocab. 111); tow-hole. [θʌu(ə)l; n. and em.Sc. θʌu] Sc. forms of Eng. thole, a wooden pin (now gen. one of two) against which an oar works in rowing, a rowlock. Gen. (exc. Sh.) Sc. Comb. thow-pin (n. and em. Sc. 1972), thowal-.Arg. c.1850 in L. MacInnes S. Kintyre (1936) 29:
Though scorlins warpled my thowl pins, My shallop would reach thee.Fif. 1861 C. Rogers Sc. Character 15:
One day, using the expression, "May the boats be filled wi' herrin' up to the very tow-holes" (spaces for the oars), a fisherman lustily called out, "Na, no that far, sir, or we wad a' be sunk."Sc. 1869 J. G. Bertram Harvest of Sea 433:
The whole crew — at least a few years ago — would start, grasp the nearest iron thowell, and exclaim, "Cauld iron!"Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 53:
Never a thowal had sheu bit the brackan' hefts o' clips, an' pieces aff o' auld splet tulfers.Bnff.2 1940:
His oar lowpit oot o' the thow-pins an' he geed heelster-heed efter the back.Uls. 1953 Traynor:
He was off in his boat wan night fishin' and bruck a thowal pin.
