dowie

American  

[dou-ee, doh-ee] / ˈdaʊ i, ˈdoʊ i /

Or dowy

adjective

Scot. and North England.

1. dull; melancholy; dismal.

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Other Word Forms

• dowily
  adverb
• dowiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of dowie

1500–10; variant of dolly, equivalent to dull + -ly

Example Sentences

It’s no the loss o’ warl’s gear, That could sae bitter draw the tear, Or mak our bardie, dowie, wear The mourning weed; He’s lost a friend and neebor dear, In Mailie dead.

From The Complete Works of Robert Burns: Containing his Poems, Songs, and Correspondence. With a New Life of the Poet, and Notices, Critical and Biographical by Allan Cunningham by Burns, Robert

With stern a-droop, a "dowie chiel," I see him lugged at Beauty's heel, A captive bound on Fashion's wheel, Down Bond Street's aisle, Far from his land of cairn and creel In grey Argyle.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, May 13, 1914 by Seaman, Owen, Sir

But ere three months were at an end, Lord Wearie came again; But dowie, dowie was his heart When first he came hame.

From Ballads of Romance and Chivalry Popular Ballads of the Olden Times - First Series by Sidgwick, Frank

"She hath looked somewhat dowie of late, this will be the very thing to brighten her up."

From The Scottish Fairy Book by Grierson, Elizabeth Wilson

He rode up yon high hill, An’ down yon dowie glen; The roaring o’ Clyde’s water Wad hae fleyt ten thousand men.

From Ballads of Scottish Tradition and Romance Popular Ballads of the Olden Times - Third Series by Sidgwick, Frank