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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.

Waverand, Wawerand, ppl. adj. Also: waverande, -ing, vaverand, -ing, wawering, waw'ring, uaifring. [ME and e.m.E. weuerinde (c1315), wayuerand (Destr. Troy), wauerynge (1526).]

1. a. Wandering, straying, moving in an irregular or changeable fashion, esp. of the wind. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 290.
As leif of the lynd … That welteris doun with the wynd, sa wauerand it is c1475 Wall. iv 340.
Now wauerand wynd, now weit a1585 Maitl. Q. 249/2.
The beatin bark with bloistrous blastis And dunge with wavering wind Into the port hir self sho castis 1581 Burne Disput. 123b.
Thay … ar … dispersit lyk vauering scheip vithout onie pastore

b. fig.Unreliable, unstable, inconstant; fleeting, changeable. 1375 Barb. vii 112.
Thai saw … [thre] men cummand Lik to lycht men & wauerand [C. vauerand] c1420 Ratis R. 819.
To mak thi spretis less or mare In wauerand for-wynynge c1420 Wynt. i 179.
Will and wawerand to be ay In dowt and dwle till his end day c1420 Wynt. iv 450.
For werd is waverand off batayle a1500 Prestis of Peblis 486.
This fule hes monie wauerand word and wyld c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 118/1.
This waverand warldis wretchidnes 1513 Doug. i x 9.
This lynnage waverand and ontrew 1513 Doug. ii xii 64.
The figur fled as lycht wynd or the son beym, Or maist lykly a waverand swevyn or dreym [L. volucrique simillima somno] 1533 Gau 107/25.
Faith is noth ane vayne opinione or ane vauerand thocht 1562-3 Winȝet II 24/7.
It wes nocht lesum that sa grete … men suld affirm … the wauerand suspicionis of ony ane or twa men, and thai contrarious to thame selfis a1570-86 Maitl. F. I 170/38.
Be ay certane and nocht waverand 1580-92 James VI Lusus Reg. 17.
The uaifring uorde did spredde abrede … Of all youre crakkes & bargane 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. x 26.
True loue hates The waw'ring estaits Of such as the faits Hath chaing'd or retreited 1624 Perth Kirk S. MS 6 April.
Sua wawering and found duobill in hir first depositioun scho is haldin the moir suspect

c. specif.Of an heir: Having an uncertain title. c1420 Wynt. iv 1806.
Swm othir fell collateralle As cours made and qualyte Ayrys wawerand [C. wareande, W. waverand] for to be

2. Of waves: Surging.Perhaps influenced by Waw v. c1420 Wynt. v 845 (C).
The blude … withe wauerande [R. weltrand] wawis than As ryweris … ran c1590 J. Stewart 132/12.
The nobile nymphs lyks not thir vauering jaws