zowl

English

Noun

zowl (plural zowls)

1. (Berkshire dialect) Soul.
   • 1850, John Yonge Akerman, Spring-tide: Or, The Angler and His Friends, page 108:

     Nothin'' like patience, as owld Rachael Cark used to zay ; — a body med do anything wi' patience, but 'a never could persuade her owld man zo, 'specially when 'a baked his breeches, poor owld zowl an bin!

   • 1859, Ebb and flow, page 48:

     Her interest in him, he being a young Londoner and stranger, who had a real goold watch, and a real goold pin in his tie, was merely of that kind which would have led Fred, in his turn, to gaze upon a giraffe, or a phoenix, or anything of that kind; but it was, nevertheless, somewhat embarrassing at first; especially as this attendant jerked the baby up and down, on any symptoms of restlessness displaying themselves, and told the " pratty zowl" to look at the London gentleman.

   • 1865, S. Lucas, Once a Week:

     The waggoner scratched his head, and quoth he, “ Eh, missus, what'll the measter say'l I be despert feared she've ' fainted, poor zowl ! ”

   • 1901, Dugald Macfadyen, Alfred the West Saxon: King of English, page 17:

     There be backsword play, and climming the powl, And a race for a peg and a cheese, And us thenks as hisn 's a dummell zowl As dwont care for zich spwoorts as theze." — Berkshire ballad, sung at the scouring of the White Horse, and possibly very ancient.

References

• The Berkshire Archæological Journal - Volumes 37-38 - Page 127 (1933) Bradley & Son