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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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SOWL, n., int. Also sowal (Sh. 1898 "Junda" Klingrahool 29, 31), sowel, sowell. Sc. altered forms and usages of Eng. soul. For the hist. Sc. forms see Saul. [sʌul]

1. Sc. forms of Eng. soul.Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 92:
"Luk. A'm elimeenated ivery livin' sowl in the parish. Thir's forteen fock whar I thowt might hiv deun id, an' thir all got perfect aleebis. Noo whar dae I go fae here?"Edb. 1979 Albert D. Mackie in Joy Hendry Chapman 23-4 (1985) 45:
The sowl's a flouer that blossoms in the harnpanAgs. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 49:
My faither's wearied, a window life
scunners him wha cuid never thole
hauf-deid fowk wi kirkyaird sowls.em.Sc. 1999 James Robertson The Day O Judgement 9:
The richteous deid step oot yince mair;
Their sowels frae glory ramstam doun
Tae meet them at the gantin lair.w.Lth. 2000 Davie Kerr A Puckle Poems 57:
The gurly sea, rock-spatter't, sprays
brave sowls wha promenade her bays.ne.Sc. 2003 Press and Journal 8 Dec 12:
We live in a politically correct warl an a lang wye fae granny's day fin as bairns we were tellt that a peck o dirt nivver hairm't a sowel an that drinkin oot o a burn wis aa richt cis rinnin watter clear't itsel.

(1) Sc. combs.: ¶(i) sowl-bolts, in phr. to knock the sowl-bolts oot o', to knock the life out of; ¶(ii) soul-couper, one who sells his soul (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.); (iii) soul-heezin', uplifting the soul (Ib.). See Heeze, v.(i) Sh. 1902 J. Burgess Sh. Folk 77:
If du has, I'll knock the bloomin' sowl-bolts out of him.

(2) Sc. phrs.: (i) for sowl and body, = with great vigour, as if one's life depended on it, with might and main (Uls. 1953 Traynor; Ork. 1971); (ii) gaird my sowl, = good gracious! bless me! (God) preserve me (Ork. 1971). Cf. Ser, v.²(i) Sh. 1900 Shetland News (10 March):
Shü begood ta rub da saep blots oot o' dem fir sowl an' body.(ii) Sh. 1918 T. Manson Peat Comm. I. 130:
Gaird my sowl, min, is du no heard o da Paet Commission?

2. With def. art, or voc. with my, as an expression of familiarity, pity or mild disparagement for someone: poor chap, silly fellow, the creature (Cai., wm.Sc. 1971).Uls. 1884 Cruck-a-Leaghan & Slieve Gallion Lays 6:
The farmer, the sowl, was as thrawn as a mule.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 11:
A thocht the sowl wad take a dwam.Gsw. 1958 C. Hanley Dancing in the Streets 122:
The sowl ran away fur the polis!Arg. 1960:
All right, ma sowl, just you go away home.wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 9:
Tartuffe! Oh fine. I think
You'll funn him fitter than fower fiddles, in the pink!
The sowell! Sc. 1993 Scotsman 5 Jun :
Poor sowel didn't know you could get out again after bedtime by dreeping from the bedroom window. Sc. 2000 Herald 7 Feb 13:
My mother would have described him as "a harmless wee sowel" ... Ayr. 2000:
Ye're a wee sowl. Edb. 2004:
C'mere ya wee sowel, ye!

II. int. As an emphatic or asseverative exclam.: believe me, upon my word (Wgt. 1971). In pl. form as an expletive. Cf. Saul. Comb. sowl-boy, a nickname for a native of Wigtownshire where this exclam. is thought to be very common (Gall. 1971).Fif. 1882 S. Tytler Sc. Marriages I. 90:
Sowl! man, he has his ain share in them.Uls. 1884 Cruck-a-Leaghan & Slieve Gallion Lays 44:
Sowl it happen'd as shure as there's grace for the poor.Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 134:
"Sowls!" Geordie Moncrieff said, "ye'll need ta steady yoursel, he's a jimp o' a sea."