A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1450-1605
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Oule, Owle, n. Also: oull(e, owll(e, owill; and Howle. [ME. and e.m.E. oule, owle, early ME. ule, OE. úle.]Appar. less common than Howlat, and appar. only in verse.
An owl.Also nycht owle, Nicht n. 7 b. c1450-2 Howlat 103.
Ay to ȝowt & to ȝowle As ane horrible owle [B. oule] c1450-2 Ib. 105.
I am netherit ane owll [B. oule] thus be nature c1450-2 Ib. 57; etc. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 741. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 122.
[To] be als just to awppis and owlis As vnto pacokkis c1500-c1512 Ib. xlix. 7.
Evir odious as ane owle [M. ovll] 1513 Doug. iii. iv. 102.
Laithly owlis 1513 Ib. xii. xiii. 168 (see Howlat n. b). 1528 Lynd. Dreme 478.
Saturnus … Foule lyke ane oule a1605 Montg. Flyt. 523 (T).
The cry wes vglie of aipis, elfis and owlis
b. transf., allusively or as a term of abuse, to persons. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 36.
Ignorant elf, aip, owll irregular a1508 Ib. 409.
In Ingland, oule, suld be thyne habitacione c1500-c1512 Dunb. c1500-c1512 Ib. 236.
Oule, rare and ȝowle, I sall defowll thy pryd c1500-c1512 Id. xxii. 24.
Kynd natyve nest dois clek bot owlis c1500-c1512 Id. lxxxiv. 19 (B).
Ane crukit crippill criateur Quhilk formit is ane owill [M. Deformit as ane oule] be nateur 1535 Stewart 52667.
As an oule haldin with euerie wycht Quhilk is nocht sene bot ay vpoun the nicht a1568 Bannatyne MS 144 b/49.
Schir Penny now is maid ane owlle [: mowle] … Thay … makis him blind of baith his ene a1585 Polwart Flyt. 143 (T).
Oule 1602 Colville Paraenese 91.
Vee blind oulles and molds
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"Oule n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/oule>
