Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Wasp, Wesp, n. Also: waspe, vespe. [ME and e.m.E. waspe (c1394), wasp (1400-50), OE wæsp, MLG, MDu. wespe.] A wasp. b. fig.Applied to a person as a term of abuse.(a) a1400 Leg. S. vii 420.
Thane with that … The waspis that in his hewid ware, At his nese-thrillis flaw al owt, & he is hele gat but dowt 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics iv 243.
Blattis, a kynd of waspe 1683 Reid Gard'ner's Kal. (1683) 12.
Destroy wasps, straiten the passage by putting on the hecks to secure from robers(b) 1611 Crim. Trials III 157.
Some develish peopill als venomouslie inclyned to find mater of calumnie in his maiesteis most vertuous actionis, as the wesp to suck poyson out of the sweitest and most holesome flouresb. c1420 Wynt. viii 2660.
Fra he [sc. Edward I] hard his men slayne swa Wes newyre in warld a wasp [C. waspe, W. wif, A. wy] sa wa c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 195.
Wan wraiglane wasp 1584 Calderwood IV 129.
Envennomed vespe! … forging and fostering calumneis upon innocent men 1632 Lithgow Trav. i 3.
Let venome-thundring crittickes, contumeliously carpe … I haue a hart can smile at their backbiting malice, a iudgement to discerne such wormish waspes