A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1499-1500, 1595-1684
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Wasyll, Waesel, Weazell, n. Also: quhasill, quhaisill, wheasle, whasie. [ME and e.m.E. wesele (c1325), wesill (a1340), wesel(l (both Trevisa), wesil (c1440), weasel (1591), OE wesule, wesele, MDu. wezel.] A weasel. Also attrib. — a1500 Henr. Fab. 911 (H).
The quhuirand quhitret with the quhasill [Ch. quhaisill, Bann. wasyll] went 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Mustela, a whasie (sic) or whitret a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1709) 10.
Ictis, a wheasle 1684 Sibbald Scot. Illustr. iii 11.
The Author's Apology to the Reader. Mustela vulgaris ea est, quæ whitret nostratibus dicitur. Sylvestris (ea quæ waesel) altera major & sævior —attrib. 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 307.
Weazell skins the dozen iiii s.
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"Wasyll n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/wasyll>
