Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1702-1705, 1757, 1810-1931, 1992
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SCOW, n.2, v.1 Also scowe, scou, skow, skau, skew (Abd. 1825 Jam.). [skʌu]
I. n. 1. A barrel stave, a thin plank from which barrel staves are made, the outer planks cut from a tree (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.; Cai. 1931; Sh. 1969).Ags. 1702 R. Finlayson Arbroath Documents (1923) 18:
Ane barrow, 4 Harrowbills and 12 Scowes.Sc. 1705 Acts Parl. Scot. XI. 293:
Plank, board, knaple, skows, hoops, dutch nets, and all other materials to be imported for the trade of fishing.Ork. 1757 Session Papers, Galloway v. Morton (12 Nov.) 130:
He cannot say whether the Scow of the Half-barrels be thicker or thinner.Sh. 1926 Shetland Times (4 Dec.):
Kerrying a barrel skow in his haand.
2. A splinter of wood, a sliver of a plank or stave (wm.Sc. 1882 Jam.; Cai. 1904 E.D. D.); by extension, a fragment, a bit, pieces, smithereens, shattered particles (Ayr. 1882 Jam.; Ork., Cai. 1969); a state of ruin or destruction (Abd. 1825 Jam.). Phr. to ding in scow, tae skows (Mry. 1825 Jam.; Cai. 1904 E.D.D.), to layin skow(s) (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Ork. 1929 Marw.), to smash to atoms.Ags. 1810 J. Paterson Poems 151:
Fareweel, Johnnie! (but hear me now, Though your fine sermon gae to skow).Abd. 1831 Aberdeen Mag. 641:
But what was ony boat in a nicht like this, when a single jaw would hae smashed her to scow!Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 70:
[The gin keg] geed i' skows on his skull.Ork. 1931 Orcadian (7 May):
Dey might 'a dung da mill tae skows.Cai. 1992 James Miller A Fine White Stoor 63:
And her lower lip curves so smooth-like to her chin. I feel as if I could squeeze it and shatter it in scow like a piece of thin laim.
3. A small branch or twig; in pl.: brushwood, firewood (Sc. 1882 Jam.).
4. A long, thin, bony person or animal; contemptuously of a woman (Ork. 1929 Marw.; Sh. 1969).Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.:
“A great scow of a woman” — a tall, thin, bony woman.Sh. 1897 Shetland News (2 Oct.):
What can a air o' blaand an' what girse he can paek apo' da tedder, dü till a skow o' a grice laek him?Ork. 1927 Peace's Almanac 135:
The hert's sair ower peerie Johnnie sweein' trou siccan a twa-faced scow.
II. v. To break in staves, smash to pieces (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.).Sh. 1815 Shetland Advert. (6 Jan. 1862):
I sou'd owrdraa dee owr d' harnpan wi a kill-tree, an skow dee skult ta learn dee.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (26 March):
A'll skow dy head wi' da tengs.
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"Scow n.2, v.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/scow_n2_v1>
