Also written ’loo; in 7 lo, lowe. [abbreviated f. HALLOO.] A cry to incite a dog to the chase; = HALLOO. Also loo in! Also quasi-sb.
1605. Shaks., Lear, III. iv. 79. Alow: alow, loo, loo. Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., V. vii. 10. Now bull, now dogge, lowe, Paris, lowe.
1681. T. Flatman, Heraclitus Ridens, No. 4 (1713), I. 19. Ho loo Bob! Loo Crop, Loo, Loo, Loo, Smug! Ibid., No. 39. I. 255. ’Loo my Dog Tutty … speak to ’em Tutty.
1718. Bp. Hutchinson, Witchcraft, 266. Presently a Hare did rise very near before him, at the Sight whereof he cried Loo, Loo, Loo; but the Dogs would not run.
1810. J. Wood, Lett., 27 May, in Life of S. Butler (1896), I. 61. The youths are brought up with a rooted objection to St. John’s, and, like bull-dogs of true breed, are always ready to fall upon us at the loo of their seniors.
1830. R. Egerton-Warburton, Hunt. Songs, I. i. (1883), 1. His cheer by the echo repeated, ’Loo in! little dearies! ’loo in!
1853. ‘C. Bede,’ Verdant Green, I. ix. A perfect pack in full cry, with a human chorus of ‘Hoo rat! Too loo! loo dog!’
1881. Jefferies, Wood Magic, I. i. 19. Bevis … called ‘Loo! Loo!’ urging the dog on.
