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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wad(e, Waid, v.¹ Also: waide, vaid, wayd, vayd, wed, weid, veyd, wide, wyd(e, vyd. P.t. woude, wod, woide, woyd, woed, wad, waid(e, wet. [ME and e.m.E. wade(n (c1220), waade (c1535); p.t. wode (Cursor M), wod (c1307), waad (Wyclif), waded (a1548), OE wadan to go, move onward, MLG waden to wade, MDu. waeden to wade, ON vaða to go through, wade.]

1. intr.To walk, make one's way through water or boggy ground. b. tr.To move through or traverse (water, etc.) on foot. See also Ourwade v.pres. 1375 Barb. vii 19.
Quha endlang a vattir ay Wald vayd [E. waid] … the sleuthhund … Tyne the sleuth a1400 Leg. S. xxix 750.
He com til a watir brad & oure it he my bruthir had & lewit me on the bank til he Suld com agan … Bot as he towart me cuth wad [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. 2779.
Ane lytill mous come till ane reuer syde: Scho micht not waid, hir schankis wer sa schort; Scho culd not swym [etc.] 1513 Doug. iii x 18.
He wadis furth throu myddis of the see 1531 Bell. Boece I xxxiv.
The watter is growin sa schauld that ane man may waid throw the maist partis thairof 1535 Stewart 15521.
The montanis he, and mossis large … To Scot and Pecht wes sic refuge … For quhy thai wer rycht abill … To clym and waid in ony perrellous place 1538 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 195.
The millaris brekis our tubbis … and man vaid our the dame(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2808.
This reuer is sa deip … Me think that thow suld droun to wed thairin(c) c1563 Reg. Panmure I xxxiv.
Thay … had ane gryt impediment of the watter … for thay did al vyd the sam [etc.] 1643 Orkney Rentals App. 56.
That na person whatsoever shall be found wyding in the water … upon the Sabbath dayp.t. 1375 Barb. ix 388.
He weill our woude, Bot till his throt the vattir stude a1400 Leg. S. xix 243.
He … passit in the watir … & ay the farrere that he wod The depare ay wox the flude 1513 Doug. x xiii 23.
He on fute woyd throu the mekill see a1540 Freiris Berw. 536 (M).
Out of the myre full smertlie at he woide [B. ȝude](b) 1566–7 Treas. Acc. XII 407.
To twa men that waid in and los the boit 1571 Bann. Memor. 170.
Culan and his men landit at … Crawmont where they waide [Trans. woed] to thair westis befoir thei come to dry land 1600-1610 Melvill 139.
Taking a gripe of my horse mean, he wad and was to landb 1375 Barb. xix 767.
The mekill mos … That wes swa hidwous for to waid c1420 Wynt. iv 256.
That wattyr … sa schalde it sulde be made That, set a woman suld it wade, Hyr kneys off it suld noucht be wate a1500 Henr. Fab. 2814.
Thocht the brym be perrillous to waid, Baith to and fra I swyme at my awin will 1513 Doug. iii x 31.
Nor the deip sey … for all hys hycht, Ne mycht he waid 1535 Stewart 52224.
Without furd other to waid or ryde 1541 Aberd. B. Rec. I 179.
The quhytfischeris … quhan they veyd the watter, thai sell weid all attanis at ane tyme, and mak no tary in the watter moutht a1568 Bann. MS 156a/37.
I saw ane wran ane watter waid, Hir clais wer kiltit hie 1640 Wemyss in Sc. Diaries 123.
The many of the collenelles did wide the river our selfs befor our men

c. intr.Of fish, a river: To move through water. 1460 Hay Alex. 15872.
The huge quantetie Off fische that ar wadand vnder the sey For as beistis here waveris in the are Sa in the sey the fische makis thare repare 1513 Doug. iii x 78.
Alpheus, ane of the ryveris … Vndir the sey gan thyddir flow and wayd throu secrete cundytis, and now … It entris rynnyng in the Sycill see

2. a. transf.To move in difficult circumstances, ? as if through mire. b. fig.To enter into, become embroiled in (difficulties, secrets). Also const. to do something. Also tr.a a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 250.
Thi mawmentis … gerris in hel thare makaris wad [: mad]b. (1) a1500 Colk. Sow iii 17.
Sum wold allege my lewit langage a les is Bot or I waid moir in this wildirnas [etc.] c1590 Fowler II 91/25.
It war a part of an vnadvysed and presumptionous man to waid farder thairin 1595 Cal. Sc. P. XII 63.
[He left me] wayding [no further nor discovering no more than after this sort in parables to me] 1622 Lett. Eccl. Affairs II 701.
Quhat proceidit … wes … groundit vpoun goode … reasonis of State, in the deepe and misterie quhair of euery man is not to dive nor wyde c1650 P. Gordon Brit. Dist. 208.
This is, indeid, a misterie to me, and I desyr not to wyd in the secret of it(2) c1420 Wynt. viii 6311.
Sa dowtand than thare hartis made That thai war all rycht wadand [C. wadande, W. durst nocht tak on hand] To fecht in gret rowt hand for hand(3) tr. 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 159.
He must waide the glarre myre of our sins

3. intr.Of weapons: To pierce throw (armour, etc.) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 568.
Throw all the harnes thai hade … Thairin wappynis couth wade a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 759.
With vengeand wapnis of were throu wedis thai wet [: bet]