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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

POWSOWDIE, n. Also -y, -soddie, -y, -soudie, pow's-, pou-; persowdi (Angus), persowdie (Edm.). [pʌu′sʌudi]

1. Broth or thick soup made out of a sheep's head (Rxb. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.).Edb. 1787 W. Taylor Poems 24:
In haf an hour hese get his mess O' crowdy mowdy, An' fresh powsowdy.Peb. 1817 R. Brown Lintoun Green 92:
Pow's-sowdy, King's-hoods, mony-plies.Sc. 1844 G. Outram Lyrics (1874) 14:
We sall subsist upon our ain national vivers allenarlie, . . . whiles pangin oursels wi' . . . drammock, brochan an' powsowdie.Dmb. 1894 D. MacLeod Past Worthies 216:
Speldins and haddocks, sheep heids and wilks, Wi' swats and guid powrowdie [sic].Sc. 1926 H. McDiarmid Penny Wheep 59:
Wi' powsoudie or drummock, Lapper-milk kebbuck and farle.Edb. 1979 Albert D. Mackie in Joy Hendry Chapman 23-4 (1985) 44:
This brou I wad hae warkit
Intil powsoddie or a sheepheid broth Gsw. 1994 Alasdair Gray A History Maker 126:
"Lassies," he said plaintively, "I'm hungry. My wame thinks my throat's cut."
They brought him powsoudie, drummock, kebbuck and farle.

2. A heterogeneous mixture of various ingredients, a messy hotch-potch, a mush (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl., ‡Sh. 1966); “milk and meal boiled together” (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.). Also fig.Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xxxv.:
Making some pousowdie for my lord, for he doesna eat like ither folk.Edb. 1928 A. D. Mackie In Two Tongues 32:
The wice auld beasts . . . 'll rether champ Green curlydoddy Nor wark their harns Tae powsoddy.