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: 1806-1942
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YOWT, n., v. Also yowte, yout(e), youtt (Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 109); yoot. [jʌut; s.Sc. + jut]
I. v. To cry, roar, shout, howl, hoot, bellow, of animals and human beings (Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems Gl.; Sc. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., yowt, yoot; Per., Slg., Rxb. 1974). Also fig. Also in Eng. dial.Slk. 1821 Hogg Poems (1865) 318:
The houndis are yowting bye.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
A cow is said to yout, when she makes a noise.Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 150:
Gar a' the hills yout wi' sheer vociferation.Fif. 1873 J. Wood Ceres Races 33:
[He] youts "But Minister ye brak Your word that Sabbath-day ye spak."Edb. 1897 W. Beatty Secretar vi.:
Greedy, yelping curs that must ever be yowting and worrying at something.Per. 1910 W. Blair Kildermoch 118:
The yowtin' o' some knowt beasts doon in a meadow.Fif. 1916 G. Blaik Rustic Rhymes 75:
A towsy collie that wad youte Ahent a hare.
II. n. 1. A shout, roar, scream, cry (Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems Gl.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., yowt, yoot; Per., Slg., Rxb. 1974). Deriv. yowtlin, a crying child (Uls. 1929).Mry. 1806 R. Jamieson Pop. Ballads I. 244:
They vanish'd wi' an elrich yowt.Lnk. 1818 A. Fordyce Country Wedding 209:
Her waefu' youtes brought frae some distance A neighbour cat to her assistance.Slk. 1832 Hogg Queer Bk. 185:
When the Carle gave a yowte.Per. 1898 C. Spence Poems 56:
The yout was heard at Totty crag.Per. 1942 W. Soutar Poems in Scots & English (1961) 72:
'Be aff!' yapp't Francis wi' a yowt.
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"Yowt n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/yowt_n_v>
