Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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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.