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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WIZZEN, n. Also wizzan, wizen, wisen; †wyzen, -on; weezon; wuzen (Sc. 1822 Blackwood's Mag. (Jan.) 19), wuzzen (Sc. 1819 J. Rennie St Patrick III viii.), wussen (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); weasan, -en, -on, weazan, weazon; wazen (Sc. 1795 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 720), wazan, waazzen (Uls. 1953 Traynor), wazzan, wazzin (I.Sc., Cai. 1974); weisand, wizand, weezant (Mry. 1925); †wizran (Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 379), ¶wisehorn (Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 62). after variant forms of Gizzern, q.v. Sc. forms and usages of obs. or dial. Eng. weasand. [wɪzn, wʌzn; wizn; l .Sc., Cai. wɑzn]

1. The gullet, the food passage in the throat, the oesophagus (Sc. 1825 Jam., wizen; Cai. 1931, wazzin: Uls. 1953 Traynor, waazzen; I.Sc., Ags., Per. 1974), specif. of a sheep (Sc. 1950, wazzin). Phr. to weet one's wizzen, to have a drink.Sc. 1715 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 77:
Now what the Friends wad fain been at . . . Was e'en to get their Wysons wat.Ayr. 1785 Burns Scotch Drink xiv:
But monie daily weet their weason; Wi' liquors nice.Rxb. 1808 A. Scott Poems 217:
Bonaparte, the French, an' invasion, Did saur in their wizens like soot.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
This word is used in a curious proverbial query, addressed to a hungry person. “Does your wame trow your wizen cuttit?” Are you so impatient for food?Kcd. 1849 W. Jamie Stray Effusions 26:
Weel they did their wizzens weet — Whilk aye were dry.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 62, 64:
Sheu wus tryan' tae stap a piece o' the mulls doon her craig, an' hid stickid i' her wazzin. . . . “The Deeval stap your wide wazan,” says Vellyan; “you'r drunk a'.”Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 128:
We dinna like him — Aye stappin doon oor wizzen Ony sic law.Cai. 1932 John o' Groat Jnl. (25 Nov.):
Dinged one skint o' speerits gied doon ma wasan 'at day.Cai. 1992 James Miller A Fine White Stoor 59:
It wouldna take much imagination or drink to turn one o them into a ghost, squatting there like a puddock watching a fleag. Slurp would go the giant tongue and doon, doon intil the wraith's wizzan wi ye.

2. (1) The air-passage in the throat, windpipe, trachea (I.Sc., Cai., Abd. 1974); hence by extension, the breath, life itself.Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) I. 75:
My wyson with the maiden shore, Gin I can tell whilk I am for.Abd. 1733 W. Forbes Dominie Depos'd (1765) 32:
This of my quiet cut the wizen.Sc. 1742 S. C. Misc. (1846) III. 235:
I can assure your Grace (to use a Scotch proverb) that I will be always ready to venture craig and wizzen to serve your Grace.Rxb. 1815 J. Ruickbie Poems 27:
With some sharp knife, or razor dight, Presumes to nick his wyson.Sc. 1828 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 94:
I just tichten a wee on his wizen his black neck-hankerchief.e.Lth. 1892 J. Lumsden Sheep-Head 261:
War it no an advantage to this accursed warld, I wad ring yer gusey weasen like Davie Hagart's.m.Sc. 1902 J. Buchan Watcher by Threshold 26:
This pricking of the puir beasts' wizands.Ork. 1915 Old-Lore Misc. VIII. i. 43:
Whit 'e waas fen tae deu tae save 'is wazzan.Cai. 1961 “Castlegreen” Tatties an' Herreen' 9:
[He] shot 'im through 'e wazzan!ne.Sc. 1994 Alastair Mackie in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 95:
When his heid liftit, and aabody still newsin, the thraes o his hoast made me think he was lauchin fit to bleed at some joke only himsel kent.
The quarry-hole haed hint him by the weisand. It never let go.

(2) the throat as the source of the voice.Kcd. 1797 Aberdeen Mag. 558:
'Tis true, douse Jock said, it was vain For ane his weason sae to strain.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 139:
Crackin' t'ye in this odd-fashion'd way, It creeps sae natural up a youthfu' weezon.Ayr. 1912 G. Cunningham Verse 236:
Reuch and roopit's my weazan!Cai. 1916 John o' Groat Jnl. (7 April):
his “wazzin” was silent for ever.Sc. 1928 J. Wilson Hamespun 40:
He may skreigh like John Knox till his weasan' grows hearse.

†3. Combs.: (1) weazon-snicker, a cut-throat; (2) wizzen-wynd, -win, (i) the gullet; (ii) the windpipe. See Wynd, n.¹(1) Rnf. 1813 G. MacIndoe Wandering Muse 128:
Auld Carl Grim, the weazon-snicker.(2) (i) Lnk. 1890 J. Coghill Poems 83:
Their stoory wizzen-win's to drook.(ii) Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin iii.:
Giein' twa or three short hoasts to redd his wizzen-wynd.