Forms: α. 4 sohou, 5 sohowe, 5, 7 sohow; 5 so how(e, hoowe, 6 sa how, so-, soa hough. β. 4, 7– so ho (5 hoo), 6–7 sohoe, 7– so-ho, soho. [An AF. hunting call, prob. of purely exclamatory origin.
In the Master of Game xxxiv. the simple howe also occurs, as well as he howe, here howe, and howe here. The early examples do not support the suggestion in quot. 14[?] that the proper form would be sa how.]
1. A call used by huntsmen to direct the attention of the dogs or of other hunters to a hare that has been discovered or started, or to encourage them in the chase; hence used as a call to draw the attention of any person, announce a discovery, or the like.
α. 1307. in Bain, Calendar (1884), II. 539. [On a seal, a hare in her form, with motto] Sohou, Sohou.
c. 1410. Master of Game, xxxiv. (MS. Digby 182). And þenne he shall say thryes, so howe, and no more.
14[?]. Venery de Twety, in Reliq. Antiq., I. 154. Sohow is moche to say as sahow, for because that it is short to say, we say al wey sohow.
c. 1485. E. Eng. Misc. (Warton Cl.), 44. The furst mane that me doth fynde, Anon he cryit,—So howe! So hoowe! Lo! he sayth, where syttyt an haare!
1576. Turberv., Venerie, 177. Sa how sayeth one, as soone as he me spies.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., III. i. 189. Lau. So-hough, Soa hough ——— Pro. What seest thou? Lau. Him we goe to finde.
β. 13[?]. K. Alis., 3712 (Laud MS.). So ho! so ho! We ben awroke of dogges two!
c. 1475[?]. Hunt. Hare (W.). The yomon rode and cryed: ‘So hoo!’ And putte the hare vp with his boo.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, e v b. And then So ho so ho, thries and no mo.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., II. iv. 136. Mer. A baud, a baud, a baud. So ho. Rom. What hast thou found? Mer. No Hare sir.
1629. Massinger, Picture, V. i. (1630), M. Hilario. [holds up a piece of bread] … So hoe birdes!
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. (1900), 279. Mr. Great-heart called after him, saying, Soho, Friend, let us have your Company.
1740–2. Richardson, Pamela, III. 312. He ran to the Window, and … said Hollo—So-ho—Groom— … Get me my Horse!
1811. Sporting Mag., XXXIX. 142. The hills shall re-echo—Soho!
1822. Shelley, Calderon’s Mag. Prodig., I. 48. Soho! Livia, I come; good sport, Livia, soho!
1859. Dickens, T. Two Cities, I. ii. ‘So-ho,’ the guard sang out, as loud as he could roar.
b. As sb.
a. 1572. Dk. Norfolk’s Laws Coursing, in Markham, Country Contentm., I. vii. (1664), 43. The hare-finder should give the hare three so-hows before he put her from her Lear. [Hence in Holme and later works.]
c. 1589. Whip for an Ape, in Lyly’s Wks. (1902), III. 418. Such sohoes, whoopes and hallowes.
1611. Cotgr., Reclame, a Sohoe, or Heylaw; a lowd calling, whooting, or whooping to make a Hawke stoope vnto the Lure.
1834. Thacker, Courser’s Comp., I. 167. The person who finds the hare sitting should give a clear so-ho.
2. = SOH int. 1.
1825. Scott, Talisman, ix. So ho! a goodly fellowship come to see Richard take his leap in the dark.
1885. G. C. Bompas, Life F. Buckland, 330. ‘So ho,’ I said, ‘my theories are right, three red-headed girls in seven mintues!’
3. = SOH int. 2. (See also quot. 1833.)
1832. Lytton, Eugene A., III. iii. Soho, Jacobina, soho, gently, girl, gently.
1833. in Youatt, Dog, iii. (1845), 96. When the old dog makes a point, the master calls out, ‘Down!’ or ‘Soho!’ and holds up his hand.
