Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Wery, Wer(r)ie, adj., adv. (n.). Also: werye, very(e, weir(r)ie, veir(r)ie, weyrie, weary, -ie, veary, wary, wair, wirie, uirie. [ME and e.m.E. weri (a1200), werie (1290), wery (c1315), weary (1526), werye (1551), wearie (1557), OE wériᵹ.]There is some overlap between the senses.

A. adj.1. Physically exhausted, worn out, extremely tired due to prolonged physical or mental exertion. b. Const. for (with) the type of exertion. c. transf.Of things: Causing or liable to cause physical exhaustion. In quot. Henr. wair may be altered for the sake of the rhyme, or may belong elsewhere. Cf. quot. Bann. MS in C.(a) 1375 Barb. xiii 593.
Than lychtyt all that thai war To bayt thar hors that war wery 1375 Barb. xvii 459.
The ost saw that thar schip wer brynt And of thaim that tharin wes tynt, And thar folk woundyt & wery [C. very] a1500 Lanc. 1165.
The very knychtis passing to there rest c1475 Wall. viii 806.
To palȝounnys bownyt mony wery wycht All yrk off wer a1500 Seven S. 446.
The grewhound the edder sleuch And lay to rest him wery yneuch 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1708.
The werie hunter besie air and lait With questing houndis c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 39/16.
My deathe chasis my lyfe so besalie That wery is my goist to fle so fast 1513 Doug. v viii 95.
Darhes Hys trew companȝeonys ledis of the pres, Harland hys wery lymmys dolf as led 1533 Boece 75b.
Eftir … thare wery bodyis in walking and laubouris be rest … war refreschit 1533 Boece 496a.
The king … send fresch men apoun inemyis, mait and wery 1549 Compl. 37/3.
The solist ande attentiue laubirs that I tuke to vrit thir passagis … gart al my body be cum imbecille ande verye(b) a1540 Freiris Berw. 38 (M).
Richt weirie was and tyrit Freyr Allane 1619 Perth Kirk S. MS 5 Nov.
The said woman being … newlingis cwm frome landuart weirie and hungrie 1657 Balfour Ann. III 39.
His Maiestie … being weirie, repossed himselue in priuat 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 180.
Pitcurre … was tane at the port … thinking that his owin cumpanies wer following; who being so weirrie [Bann. Trans. 249, veirrie] [etc.] 1588 King Cat. 23.
Giwe me … a valkryffe harte … that na tribulation may mak veirie(c) 1596 Dalr. II 318/21.
He … places his cumpanies in the nerrest tounes, that tyret of labour wark and werrie thame selfes tha mycht sumthing refresche(d) 1679 Edinb. B. Rec. X 380.
[The] nighbours have this long tyme … bein at great … pains in watching mounting and dismounting the guaird soe that they are now becom wearieb. a1400 Leg. S. xxv 9.
The trawalouris … for trawale ware wery Quhene thai come til thar herbry ?1438 Alex. i 3139.
All thair hors wor sa wery, For thay war trauelit gretumly c1552 Lynd. Mon. 316.
To sitt down he requeistit me … For I wes werye for walking 1657 Wemyss Corr. 102.
I am uirie with hacking … which meacks me rest this dayc. a1585 Maitl. Q. 227/43.
Gud Sanct Lukis noble fair Quhair monye nobill did repair And for the werie winter tyide For riddin hors did thame provyide 1617 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 311.
This snake will newer be worthe the wearie coales you spent in bonfires(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1702.
Baith hill and holt heillit with frostis hair; And bewis bene ar bethit bair off blis Be wickit windis off the winter wair … Syne cummis ver quhen winter is away

2. Emotionally enervated, dispirited, sorrowful. Also transf.(a) a1500 Henr. Robene & M. 74.
Mawkyne went hame withowttin faill, Full wery eftir cowth weip a1578 Pitsc. I 45/13.
This earle and his brother behalding this money fauld treassone witht sade mynd and werie continance start wpe fre the bourd 1590 Burel Pilgr. ii 54.
Wearie men … Whois noying to ioying Wes changit suddenlie a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 250.
Lost sinners … such as are weary and loadened, such as are broken in heart, grieved, wounded &c.(b) 1461 Liber Plusc. I 383.
Help to murn this dul my lady foore, And wary weird(c) c1650 Spalding I 174.
Sum throw feir fled and left thair lodginges desolat, vtheris schiftit thair best goodis asyde, with wirie and sorie hairtistransf. 1513 Doug. xiii iv 9.
The gentill body of this stowt ȝongkeir Thai … laid on a rich beir … Syne eftir this hys wery cart furth went a1585 Maitl. Q. 206/155.
From hering of the wofull werye schout That scho all tyme and houris did bewray

3. Physically weak, feeble. Also transf. a1400 Leg. S. xviii 240.
Zozimas, Thocht he auld & very vas, Ȝarnand for to se th[at] sycht … folouyt fast vith al his mycht c1420 Wynt. viii 2549.
Sum for hungyr in lang fastyng Wery ware and tyryd 1531 Bell. Boece I 138.
Galdus, be noy of the woundis gottin in this last battall, was sa wery, that he … was brocht on an hors-litter to Argyle 1533 Bell. Livy I 250/23.
Than was … Seruilius sa wery that he mycht skarsly draw his aynd [L. exigua in spe trahebat animam]transf. 1533 Bell. Livy I 273/33.
The ciete was nocht sa wery [L. ægram] that it mycht be dantit with sic remedis as it was wont to be

4. Discontented by or displeased with the continuation of a state or situation, tired of (for, in) a person or thing. Also ellipt. Cf. SND Weary v. 1. a1500 Henr. Fab. 428.
Chantecleir in to the gray dawing, Werie for nicht, wes flowen fra his nest 1533 Boece 250b.
Pepill … wery of thare mysgidit life and convertit now to godly and vertuos liffing 1550 Sel. MSS Q. Mary 54.
Thei being very … of the yll handling of Franche men and other 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 28.
All the estates wer wery of him and dischargeit the said gouernour of his office 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 13/1.
This … [is] a just cause to make them wearie of these formes of conjuration 1657 Balfour Ann. IV 29.
Wee wer not only weyrie of that seruice, bot wer to leaue it 1664 Pitcairn Spiritual Sacrifice 523.
Handy-trades, men would soon weary in following them, if no gain were reapedellipt. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 102.
Fra Diomeid had gottin his desyre He wox werie and wald of me no moir

5. In a state of longing or yearning to do something. Cf. SND Weary v. 2. c1615 Chron. Kings 10.
Gillus … being weirie to ringe … began to alledge that the gowerment of the realme apertenit to him … and that he suld haue the gowerment of the crowne

B. adv.Modifying a past participle: Utterly weary in the sense of the participle, as, utterly exhausted by bleeding, running, etc. Also, once, werie wrocht, made utterly weary, afflicted with exhaustion (Wirk v. 14) or perhaps a further example of Wery adj. 1.Quot. Stewart is wrongly punctuated at Forwrocht p.p. 1375 Barb. vii 2.
The king … Wery for-swayt & will of wane … begouth for to rest him thar & said he mycht no forthermar a1400 Leg. S. xix 156.
For ga[i]ne he wery was, That he was fayne rest to get ?1438 Alex. ii 10375.
He was … Veary forbled, euill hewit and paill a1500 Henr. Fab. 1405.
Ane lyoun, at his pray wery foirrun, To recreat his limmis and to rest … Vnder ane tre lay c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 10/116.
Ordane for Him ane resting place, That is so werie wrocht for thé 1533 Boece 177a.
Gif scho [sc. a hare] … war wery forrvn scho suld nocht be ceirsit ferder to be slane 1533 Boece 194a.
Thai … schot thame [sc. deer] with dart or arrow wery forrvn or at rest 1535 Stewart 43912.
Gude Gilcrist … Werie forwrocht and richt weilsum of wane 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4245.
Knawing richt weill ȝe war werie forgane, Cauld, waik & tyrit

C. noun. ? Weariness, feebleness. Cf. quot. Henr. in sense 1 c (b). a1568 Bann. MS 256b/6.
The suth is so be God my io I will fenȝe na mair Thocht vmquhile grit wes appetite Thair is wan tyme of wair