a. Also touzloy, towsly. [f. TOUSLE sb. or v. + -Y.] Characterized by being tousled or disheveled; having tousled hair or dress.
1869. Chicago Tribune, 10 April, 2/5. The daughter of the owner of 1,500 acres of beautiful land in Virginia, and an heiress of ‘untold wealth,’ is said habitually to be seen with dirty hands, dozy eyes, towsly red hair; and an old home-spun, ragged dress.
1891. Pall Mall G., 14 Feb., 6/2. Hither came the women, a blowsy, touzley crew, with mouth agape.
1905. Daily News, 2 Aug., 6. One [humble-bee] with a tously yellow head and thorax and dark brown abdomen. Ibid. (1911), 7 March, 4. Why should a man send many men and teams of horses … to fetch towsly brown grass to clothe his town lawn?
