Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1824-1861, 1994
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BOWSIE, BOWZIE, Bouzy, Boozy, adj.2 “Big, puffed up, corpulent” (Mry.1 1914, Bnff.2, Abd.22, Kcb.9 1935). [′bʌuzi, ′bu:zi]Mearns 1825 Jam.2:
Bouzy, Bowsie, Boozy. Fat and overgrown, having at the same time a jolly good-humoured appearance.Dundee 1994 Matthew Fitt in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 178:
The young lad hud goat himsel fankilt up in a dug's lead, a wee scottie nyaffin at his feet an a bowsie wyfie wi a blue rinse yappin at him tae hae mair mennirs, whan he sein her.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 88:
Bowzie. Looking fat like. A man is said to be so that fills his waistcoat well.Dmf. 1861 R. Quinn Heather Lintie 140:
'Tis weel tae be rich, tae be bowsie an' braw, Wi' ilk thing that's needed tae come at yer ca'.
Hence boozy-like (see quot.).Lth. 1825 Jam.2, s.v. bouzy:
It is said of a pregnant woman, whose shape is considerably altered, that she is grown boozy-like.
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"Bowsie adj.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bowsie_adj2>
