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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WACK, adj. Also wak, wach, wauch-, and in derivs. wa(u)chie, waghie, woghie.

1. Moist, watery, damp, wet, rainy (Sc. 1808 Jam., a wak day); specif. “applied to cake or scones not properly baked” (Cld. 1880 Jam., wach(ie)). Derivs. wakness, humidity (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.), waghie, woghie, damp, clammy (Sc. 1880 Jam.).Sh. 1899 Shetland News (26 Aug.):
“Is dy socks dry?” “Der a corne wak wi' wadin, bit der no to ca' weet.”

2. Only in deriv. wauchie, swampy, boggy (Cld. 1825 Jam.).Edb. 1877 J. A. Sidey Alter Ejusdem 2:
Cauld as it seips frae the wauchie well-e'e.
Gall. 1904 S. R. Crockett Raiderland 70:
The Cooran Lane and other burns seek their ways through treacherous sands and “wauchie wallees” to Loch Dee.
Ayr. 1913 J. Service Memorables 24:
The drainless furrs were fu' o' water or wauchie at the best.

[O.Sc. wak, moisture, 1456, moist, wet, 1513, wacnes, c.1520, O.N., Icel. vǫkr, Mid. Du. wak, moist. There may have been some confusion of form and sense with Wauch, adj.]

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"Wack adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 3 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/wack>

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