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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.

Wedding, Woddyng, Wad(d)ing, vbl. n. Also: weddinge, -yn, weding, -yng, veddin(g, wadin, wodding. [ME and e.m.E. wedding (c1250), wedyng (c1460); Wed v.]

1. The act of pledging oneself in marriage, marrying; the state of matrimony; (the occasion of) a marriage.(a) 1375 Barb. i 267.
That wedding is the hardest band That ony man may tak on hand 1375 Barb. xx 81.
The day That ordanyt for the weddyn was a1400 Leg. S. iii 924.
He … set his entent To weddinge to ger me consent a1400 Leg. S. xxiv 21.
Wedyng honouryt He that tyme That He turnyt vatyre in-to wyne a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii 546.
Weding a1400 Leg. S. xli 25.
In takine of weding He erlis thaim with his ryng c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxii 2.
The kingdom of heuenis is made like to a king that made weddingis to his sonn 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 41.
Be sa sindrie sortis of wickit doingis scho makis haist to hir maist wickit wedding 1573 Riddell Tracts 190.
He the tyme of the said last allegit meriage, perfatlie knew the said former impediment, in sa fer as the said first impediment and wedding 1667 Laing MSS 355.
I receaved your lordships with the account of the weding 1695 Fife Schools 221.
[£100 from] forfeited dollars for promiscuous dancing at weddings(b) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4700.
Thay haue gret prerogatyffis, That may depart, ay, with thare wyffis … Syne tak ane vther but woddyng(c) 15.. Clar. iv 1864.
Thair is cuming … Thrie faire ambassants from thrie sundrie kings For ȝour wadding 1616 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 289.
We haue bein all at Jhon Achamutis wading 1648 Thanes of Cawdor 309.
To haue receaved … £71 4 s. and that in tyme of my wading 1674 Sc. Ant. I 179.
To Anne when she went to the wadding 13 s. 4 d.proverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1684.
Wading and hanging gais be hap

b. attrib.Wedding (kirk) dur, the church door or porch at which marriages were performed.(1) a1500 Seven S. 2413.
Quhen I mak my wedding band I will resaif hir of ȝour hand 1511–12 Treas. Acc. IV 228.
For hir wedding goune boght xiiij ½ elnis and half ane quartar gray satyne 15.. Clar. i 372.
Within a monthis space … Sould be his wadding day 1576 Edinb. Test. V 4.
I gif … to … my spous my wedding ring of gold 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 389.
His nuptial or wadding garment a1649 Inventory of Pictures in Hamilton Mun. MS 57.
First the story of the man that visit to the wading without the wading garment 1678 Dame Erskine of Balgownie's Acc. Bk. in Sc. Ant. IX 106.
For the wading lawing 2 lb. 7 s. 16… Dunferm. Ann. 297.
Sandie Dempster the wading fidler(2) 1530 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 362.
He was found in the vedding kirk dur … quhilk was hallouit place and kirk 1584 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 386.
For removing of … the desk … and settin vp of the sam to the est of the veddin kirk dur 1584 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 387.
To tyr of the sklettis of the weddin kirk dur … for the pantin and wrettin of the twa tabillis aboune the weddin kirk dur 1584 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 387.
For painten of the orlag on the gevill of the veddin kirk dur 1685 Ellon Par. 144.
[The East door, North door,] Wedding door [and] Isle door

2. The action of wagering or betting; an instance of this. 1501–2 Treas. Acc. II 140.
To William Sinclair, that he wan fra the king on wedding that his barne suld be ane lad 1503 Treas. Acc. II 401.
To the king quhilk he tynt on wedding with the Abbot of Cambuskinneth 1540–1 Linlithgow B. Ct. 17 Jan.
xx s. of money for wadin of hors rynnying quhilk the said Hendre won a1658 Durham Commandments (1675) 249.
Cards, dice, woddings or wagering