Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Harrow, n. Also: harow, harrowe, harrou, harro. Also pl. harrous. [ME. harrow, harow(e, harou, haru (a 1300).] A harrow. 1375 Barb. xix. 175.
With plewch and harrow for to get … thair met a1500 Henr. Fab. 1716.
The harrowis hoppand in the saweris trace 1484 Acta Aud. *139/2.
A wane … and twa cuple of harowis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 179.
Hard hurcheoun, … hippit as ane harrow 1531 Bell. Boece I. civ.
Besy Ceres, with hir pleuch and harrois 1562 Will A. Betoun 225.
Ane cart and vij pair harrowys with all gangand geir 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Rastrum, a raike or harrowe 1633 Edinb. Test. LVI. 81.
Ane ȝoung grey meir with … mukcreillis and harrow 1672 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I. 408.
A rigg of sheareing and a couple of harrous as bailly worke

proverbs 1622 Scot Course of Conformity 56 (see Hirsp v.) 1658 R. Moray Lett. 4/14 Jan.
[To] take the bitt in our teeth ... and run away with the harrows

b. Attrib. with bore, graith, man. 1456 Hay I. 239/13.
Labouraris of the erde, as plewmen, harow men 1549 Inchcolm Chart. 94.
Plewchis and plewch gere, harroueys and harrou graith 1583 Edinb. Test. xix. 110.
Aucht pleuch oxin with … harrow and harrow graith 1598 Crim. Trials II. 45.
Stryking of hir fingar in ane harrow boir