Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1821
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DOWIE, n.2 A measure of ale. Edb. slang.Edb. 1821 D. Haggart Life 50:
I went into the house of a person named Rutherford, near the Potterrow, to get a dowie of ale.
[? From John Dowie, a noted Edb. tavern-keeper of the 18th c., esp. celebrated for his ale.]
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"Dowie n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/snd00088679>
