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 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FORHOO, v. Also †forhou, †-how, forehoo; †furhoo, †-how; for(e)hooie, -(e)y, †-hui (mostly ne.Sc.). To forsake, abandon, esp. of a bird deserting its nest (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis; n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., forhow; ne.Sc., m.Lth., Peb. 1953). Also ppl.adj. forhooied. [m.Sc. fər′hu:, ne.Sc. + -′hu:i, s.Sc. -′hʌu]Abd. 1755 R. Forbes Ajax 16:
Yet few will say, it was nae fau't That he did him furhow [see Forvoo].Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems 42:
How can ye think, I ever wad agree, To tak' a man, that may forhui me?Slk. 1813 Hogg Queen's Wake 181:
And the merl and the maives forehooit their yung.Dmf. 1820 Blackwood's Mag. (Aug.) 518:
Whan the ravens forhou the Morisons' Ha' The Morisons' back sall be dung to the wa'.ne.Sc. 1881 Gregor Folk-Lore 142:
It was believed that handling any bird's eggs in the nest made the bird desert (“forhooie”) them.Fif. 1894 J. Geddie Fringes of Fife 116:
But it is more probable that the poor spook, disturbed by the unwonted clatter and stir, has forhooeyed the old red house.Bnff. 1939 J. M. Caie Hills and Sea 28:
For she'd forsaken her lover true An' she'd forhooiet the birken tree.Abd. 1987 Donald Gordon The Low Road Hame 25:
Forhooied queyns
Are greetin sair
That gallus chiels
Sall come nae mair: ... Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 21:
Tae Sylvester, Banchory meant bein jyled wi other forehooied, greetin, girnin, murnin and manin kittlins, cut aff frae their hamely sinecures in the purgatory o a cattery.