Fou

/fuː/ adjective

Definition

A Scottish word meaning 'drunk' or 'intoxicated,' used in Scottish English and poetry.

Etymology

From Old English 'ful' meaning 'full,' used to describe someone full of alcohol. This Scottish variant persisted while English shifted to other words for drunkenness.

Kelly Says

Scottish English preserves surprising older English words—'fou' shows how regional dialects are linguistic museums, keeping medieval vocabulary alive long after standard English abandoned it.

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