Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BOW-KAIL, n. “Cabbage” (Bnff.², Abd.²², Lnk.³ 1935). Also used attrib. [′bʌu ′kel]Per. 1802 S. Kerr Poems, etc. 43:
Whan tir'd o' pu'in bowkail stocks, An' burnin' nits, an' crackin' jokes.Lnk. 1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 34:
Ye had as good a gane hame an' a counted bow-kail stocks, as to come here to count kindred wi' me.Ayr. 1786 Burns Halloween iv.:
Poor hav'rel Will fell aff the drift, An' wander'd thro' the Bow-kail.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 7:
Where Adam and his Wife, as story tells, Did plant their bow-kail, and the garden delve.