▪ I. bowie1 Sc.
(ˈbaʊɪ, ˈbɔːwɪ)
[Of uncertain origin: it has been referred to F. buie water-vessel; it is possibly a dim. of bowe = boll or bowl.]
A low shallow tub or pail; a wooden milk-bowl.
| 1538 Aberdeen Regist. V. 16 (Jam.) Ane stand, a bowy. a 1774 Fergusson Poems (1789) II. 56 (Jam.) I' the far nook the bowie briskly reams. 1816 Scott Old Mort. Introd. 10 [He] makes them into spoons, trenchers, bickers, bowies, and so forth. 1853 G. Johnston Nat. Hist. E. Border I. 136 Scrubbers for cleaning milk bowies. |
Hence bowieful.
| 1805 J. Nicol Poems I. 143 (Jam.) Thar bowiefu's o' kail fu' strang. 1818 Hogg Brownie Bodsb. II. 45 (Jam.) Davie..brought me a hale bowiefu' o' milk. |
▪ II. ˈbowie2
Short for bowie-knife.
| 1850 Kingsley Alt. Locke xxvii (D.), I took the precaution of bringing my bowie and revolver with me. |
Hence ˈbowieism, the use of the bowie-knife.
| 1844 For. Q. Rev. XXXIV. 118 Arkansas is the head⁓quarters of Bowieism. |
▪ III. bowie
obs. form of buoy.