Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
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: 1886-1961
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0]
TOWROW, n., v. [′tʌu′rʌu]
I. n. A noisy uproar, rumpus, disturbance (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; Sh., Bnff., Ags. 1972). Also in coll. or dial. Eng.Sc. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped iv.:
A blinding flash . . . a great tow-row of thunder.Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders i.:
A great tow-row of laughter.
II. v. 1. To rattle, rumble, make a loud noisy disturbance (Sh. 1972). Also in coll or dial. Eng. Ppl.adj. towrowed, noisy, obstreperous.em.Sc. 1926 H. Hendry Poems 91:
The Auld-Kirk bell has stopped! I like it best, When its wee tow-rowed clapper tak's a rest.
2. To toss and tumble about in the sea, to be at the mercy of the waves (Sh. 1972). Ppl.adj. tow-rowed, buffeted by the sea.Sh. 1961 New Shetlander No. 58. 12:
Da logs frae da wrack tow-rowed aroond da skerries.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Towrow n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/towrow>
