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Dingle McFarkle
Great Selkie o' Sule Skerry
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| Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 8:23 pm Post subject: Lowsin'time/ Shoot the carw.... |
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I can't find the old "words" thread.....
What are the origins of the phrases "Lowsin' time"(meaning time to stop work) and "Shoot the craw" (meaning to leave)?
e.g. It's ten minutes efter lowsin' time, so Ah'm gonnae shoot the craw and get a pint on the way hame.
Lice were a big problem in the trenches in WWI, and I wondered if "lowsin' time" might be some reference to de-lousing...... But what's shooting the crow all about? |
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Anona.Mouse
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| Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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I think "the Crow Road" is a phrase that means death, or dying - if you take the crow road you're on the way out.
But I don't know if that's connected. If you shoot the crow first, it's not going to be much good at map-reading. |
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Spry
Great Selkie o' Sule Skerry
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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A few years ago, when I was a youngster, on April 1st we used to shout at folk, " Yer lace is lowsed!" When they instinctively looked down, we would cry, "Huntigowk!"
I wonder if lowsing time has the same meaning, "loosened or untied" (from your work)?
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Anona.Mouse
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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According to the Dictionary of the Scots Language, the sense of loosing or unbinding operates here - although you can also be loused of your property by the bailiffs, if you're a bad lad.
An abbreviated extract follows:
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Lowsin(g, Lousing, vbl. n.1 Also: lowss-, loussand -inge, -yng(e, -eing; lowyssing, loueseng. [ME. (north.) lousyng (c 1357), e.m.E. lowsing (1482, 1545), ME. also lawsing (1415), f. Lows v.1 Cf. also Lossing vbl. n.2 and Loosing vbl. n.1]
1. The act of loosing, in various senses of Lows v.1, Los v.2
a. Setting free, release, lit. and fig.; absolution; letting down (trousers etc.); detaching the team from a plough; the casting off of a ship or boat and setting sail; loosening, freeing (something stuck or fixed); disintegration, dissolution. b. The letting go of water retained by a dam or the breaking up or removal of a dam. c. The letting up or cessation of a storm.
2. The redemption of heritage or movables from attachment, pawn, etc.: see Lows v.1 12. Also lousing out. (1) That the said Jon haf the mone that lyis apon tha landis, and thir forsaid landis efiter the lowsing; 1406 (1427) Reg. Great S. 17/2. And the redempcione and lousing [of the lands] to be maid within vij ʒeris as said is or nocht; 1469 Acts II.
3. The withdrawal or removal, by an authority, over-lord or creditor, of an arrestment on goods or legal restriction on lands: see Lows v.1 13.
4. The obtaining or receiving (of something) for payment; purchasing. For the outtaking of the greit stanis in the hevin and redding of the channell … and to gett plaittis for the channell and lowsing thairof; 1504 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 99. Gewin in drink at the lowsing of the bannaris betuix vs the masonis & the wrychtis xj s., to our part tharof v s. vj d.; 1550 Edinb. Hammermen 183.
5. In Orkney: see Lows v.1 15 a. |
I've taken out most of the many examples - if you want them, click the link. |
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