Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Wave, v. Also: waif, waive, weave. [ME and e.m.E. weyue(n (Manning), wayuye(n (Ayenbite), wayue(n (c1394), wayfe (a1400-50), waive (1586), wave (1646), AF weyver, med. L. waiviare, waviare.] tr.a. To set aside (a debt). b. To fail or refuse to deal with (a matter, difficulty, etc). c. To abandon (a position or state).a. 1596 R. Brown Paisley I 178.
The claime given in be Andro Crawford, … waifing Jone Paisley, … auch punds ten s.b. 1646 Hamilton P. (Camden Soc.) 115.
The Scots are gone to passe delinquents, and waue Ireland till king and parliament be agreed 1649 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 575.
At my return I told my comerads what reason we had to make haste and … we all immediatlie signed the articles which indeed if they had been malitious, they might have wavd 1652 Pittenweem Ann. 77.
Having considered ane letter directed to this burgh be the Provost of Edinburgh, desiring us to send ane commissioner to Edinburgh … for meeting with the general meeting of gentrie and burrowes … for treating anent the union proposed be Parliament of … England with this kingdom, the counsell think fit to waive it at this time c1680 Mackenzie Affairs 117.
To which the chancellor, who was a very generous person, and knew how the other jilted with him, return'd no answer, but wav'd the discourse 1670 Annandale Corr. 310.
Your letter … would make a noysse if it should haue beine made … publick, so I weaved it and laid it assyd 1671 Inverness Rec. II 247.
Haueing seine sewerall rolls of men fitt for the militia, haue weaved the rewiseing of them quhill the nixt counsell day 1671 Lauder Notices Affairs I 14.
They waved it, and would not give furth their answer to his bill 1706 Rothesay Par. Rec. 201.
The forsaid Elspeth … is notourlie known to be most intractable … the session waves troubling themselves with herc. 1658 Faithful Witness-bearing Exemplified (1783) 105.
By prescinding from all our former confessions of faith, … it doth wave and cast loose all these former attainments