Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1728-1901
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‡HOWTOWDIE, n. Also -y, howtoudie, and contracted forms howdie, 'toudie, towdie (Sc. 1828 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 111). A large chicken for the pot, a plump young table fowl, “a young hen which has not begun to lay” (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Lnk. 1957). Used fig. of an unmarried woman.Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 151:
They all, in an united Body, Declar'd it a fine fat How-towdy.Sc. 1759 E. Cleland Cookery 91:
Chickens farced with Oisters . . . You may do Howtoudies or any white Fowl, the same way.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 213:
Wi' skelps like this fock sit but seenil down To wether-gammond or how-towdy brown.Peb. 1817 R. Brown Lintoun Green 40:
But Chanticleer, sae fu' o' pride . . . Wi's hen and 'toudies by his side.Sc. 1831 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1856) III. 192:
At leeterary soopers, I like to see a blue-stocking playin the how-towdy. . . . Chucklin intil hersel, when a spruce young cockie is lettin his wing drap close aside hers.Fif. 1844 J. Jack St Monance 14:
I wat fu' weel, by the cut o' her jib, that's ane o' the deil's howtowdies frae the Over-town.Edb. 1882 J. Smith Canty Jock 79:
Doun below this auld howtowdie lived a superannuated patriarchal widower.Ags. 1890 A. Lowson John Guidfellow 55:
The weeng o' a guid fat howdie.Arg. 1901 N. Munro Doom Castle iii.:
Twa oors syne, . . . there was beef padovies and stoved howtowdies, but I gied them to twa gaun-aboot bodies.
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"Howtowdie n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 4 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/howtowdie>
