interj. and sb. Obs. [Apparently a nursery utterance, and probably without derivation: it varied with balililow, and baw lu la law. According to Jamieson ‘supposed to be part of an old Fr. lullaby, Bas le loup!, or bas, là le loup!’ (down! there the wolf), but this is a mere conjecture without any known historical basis.]
A. interj. An utterance used in lulling to sleep.
a. 1724. Lady A. Bothwell’s Lament, in Tea-t. Misc. (1733), II. 130. Balow my boy, ly still and sleep. It grieves me sore to hear thee weep.
B. sb. a. A lullaby. b. A song and tune containing this word.
1611. Beaum. & Fl., Knt. of Burning Pestle, ii. (Boucher). You musicians play Baloo.
1619. Z. Boyd, L. Battell, 308 (Jam.). Lulled with Sathan’s ‘balowes.’
1794. Ritson, Scot. Songs, Ess., 109 (Jam.). The editor … pretends that … there are two ‘balowes,’ as they are stiled, the first, ‘The balow Allan,’ the second ‘Palmer’s Balow’ … commonly called Lady Bothwell’s Lament.
