Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1807-1864, 1941
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0]
CURDOO, CURDOW, v. and n. [kʌr′du, kʌr′dʌu]
1. v. To coo (as a pigeon). Hence fig. to make love (Ayr. 1825 Jam.2). Vbl.n. curdooing.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xi.:
The twasome seemed as if they were curdooin' wi' ane anither.Fif.10 1941:
It was eneugh to scunner the cat — the pair o' them curdooin' awa' in the face o' a' the folk!Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller of Deanhaugh 300:
He then . . . cur-dooed to the pigeons — and squeaked with the guinea-pigs.Ayr. 1833 Galt Scotch and Yankees in Blackwood's Mag. (Jan.) 99:
But I do not approve of yon curdooing with the lad Tompkins.
2. n. “An imitative term, used to express the cooing of the dove” (Sc. 1825 Jam.2).Slk. 1807 Hogg Mountain Bard 5:
The dow flew east, the dow flew west, The dow flew far ayont the fell . . . But ay she cry'd Cur-dow, cur-dow, An' ruffled a' her feathers fair.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Curdoo v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Sep 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/curdoo>
