or fow, adj. (old English and Scots’ colloquial).—Drunk; variants are BITCH-FOU; GREETIN’-FOU; PIPER-FOU; ROARING-FOU; FOU AS BARTY (BURNS); PISSING-FOU; and so forth. For synonyms, see DRINKS and SCREWED. Also (Scots’) = full of food or drink, as in quot. under date 1815.
1697. VANBRUGH, The Provoked Wife, III., ii. (Song—Colonel Bully).
| Then sit ye awhile, and tipple a bit, | |
| For we’s not very FOW, but we’re gayly yet. |
1787. BURNS, Death and Doctor Hornbook, st. 3. I was na FOU, but just had plenty.
1815. SCOTT, Guy Mannering, ch. xlvi. ‘Are ye FOU or fasting?’ ‘Fasting from all but sin.’
1857. J. E. RITCHIE, The Night Side of London, p. 166. The time admits of a man getting FOU between the commencement and the close of the entertainment.
