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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
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Wast(e, Waist, v. Also: va(i)st, uaist, wayst, weist, weast. P.t. also waist. P.p. also westit, weisted, wistit, wysted. [ME and e.m.E. waste(n, weste(n (both Layamon), wast (Cursor M.), wayste (a1400-50), waist (1535), OE westan, OF waster var. of guaster, L. vāstāre.]

I. tr.1. To expend (effort) with little or no effect, to use (one's energies) in vain. b. To waist wind, to waste one's breath, communicate in vain. 1375 Barb. vii 50.
Tharfor is gud we turn agayn And waist [C. vast] no mar trawaill in wayneb. a1500 Henr. Fab. 159 (Bann.).
Of this mater I do bot waistis wind Thairfoir I seis, and will no forder say 1562-3 Winȝet I 33/14.
Sum of our faithfull brether hes wryttin sindry tymes to thaim baith, and gettis na ansuer in wryt, bot waist wynd agane

2. To use (money, etc.) extravagantly, to squander, to make use of (an asset, resource, etc.) carelessly or unprofitably; to use up, exhaust (a supply or quantity of something); to wear out through use. Also with away.(1) pres. c1490 Porteous Noblenes 39 (Ch. & M.).
The prodigal man spendand without mesure … waistis and destroyis larges 1532 Acts Sederunt i 8.
Quhilk our mynd is nocht to waist nor spend in ony sort, bot as efferis to our kinglie honor 1536 Lynd. Answ. Flyting 35.
Tak tent, and ȝour fyne powder spair, And waist it nocht, bot gyf ȝe wit weill quhair a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 44/6.
Waist not thi guidis at the dyce 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 193/5.
Uaine cairteris and dyceris that uaistis thaire moyen & thaire tyme … upon … playing(b) a1500 Bernardus 90.
Glutony prouokys thé tyl expende And vast thi gudis(c) a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 445/22.
Gif thow will vs na prodigalitie And wainlie weist the rentis of thi croun 1594 Misc. Spald. C. II 125.
Ye … spendis, weistis, and consumes in drinking ryatuslie, mair nor ony in the toune of Kinneduart 1624 Linlithgow B. Rec. 23 Sept.
It is statut … that they weast naine of thair commoun guid of thair craftisp.t. 1531 Bell. Boece I 175.
Als sone as the realme wes stabillit to him in sicker peace, he waistit al the publik rentis … in his infamit lust 1567 G. Ball. 35.
Leuand thair rycht ryatouslie; He waistit all his geir anone(b) Urquhart Rabelais III ii 26.
He wasted … the … revenue of his lairdshipp.p. a1400 Leg. S. xii 254.
Quhene Judas saw … The vngymente wes vastit swa a1400 Leg. S. xviii 1002.
Vthyr clathis had I nane Thane I brocht oure flume Jordane; Bot in few ȝeris clene war thai For gret elde wastit a-way c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 179.
A cloud of arowis as hayle schour lousit thay, And schot quhill wastit was thair artilye 1513 Doug. x iv 28.
The ile … Sa rich of steill it may nocht wastit be [L. insula inexhaustis] 1636 Caldwell P. 91.
Tak three muschkeens of malvosie, and ane handfull of red sage, & a handfull of rew, and boyll them till a mutchkeen be wasted(b) c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 142.
It was na visdome till a wysman till leif to a full vaistour al thai gudly … possessions that he had … gaderit … in al his lyf … and syne to be vaistit & distroyd c1475 Wall. iv 579.
Fyfteyn that day he schot to dede … Be that his arrous waistyt war and gayne 1522–3 Fam. Innes 97.
The said Alexander has bene ane misgidit man prodigus and has waistit and disboyit his landis and gudis 1561 Reg. Dunferm. App. ii 456.
The Erll of Arrane and his factoris … hes waisted the haill coill in sic sort that na proffet can be had therof without greit expensis 1629 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 20.
By occasioun of the great quantitie of copper money … wrought … the three mylnes and the twa cutters … ar verie meekle waisted and sindrie pairts thairof brokin(c) 1569 Fam. Rose 250.
Oure wodis … ar dayle cwttyt westit and distroyt be commoun cwttoris of our wod(2) c1420 Ratis R. 1422.
Vilfulnes and mysknawleg Ay wodly weildand in a rage, And waistis wynyng al away a1578 Pitsc. I 263/10.
All the wictuallis and wiuerse of the commons was waistit away

b. To impoverish, deprive of resources. 1478 Acts II 118/2.
Our souuerain lord is informit that his realme is parit & wastit of money

3. To spend or pass (a period of one's life, time) idly, to waste (an opportunity). a1400 Leg. S. xxx 176.
Is this the maste That gerris thé thi ȝouthede wast, & lef thi myrth & iolyte c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 130.
It was na wyt, visdome na prudens till a wysman till set his deligens … to waist the tyme that God has gevyne hym in this warld c1475 Wall. x 947.
Gud Wallace thocht, his tym he wald nocht waist; On to the wer he graithit him in haist 1531 Bell. Boece I 87.
The said Romanis … resset his rebellis, and wald nocht restore the pledgis that war gevin to thaim, bot causit thaim to waist thair dayis in captivite and preson 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 193/5 (see 2 above). a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlix 15.
We come not … To wery ȝou, and wast the day in verse, Quhilk otheruyse we purpose for to spend

4. To cause (a person, part of the body, etc.) to weaken or deteriorate, to exhaust, wear out. Also with away. Also reflex. a1400 Leg. S. xviii 390.
I thé pray, For Cristis sak … for quham this thou nakit gais, & thi flesche this vastit has, That thu hele na thinge fra me 1460 Hay Alex. 4150.
I ȝow haue distroyeit and waistit, And mony of ȝow to ȝour dede has haistit a1500 Bernardus 33.
The man that spendis Vnsparandly mar than his rent extendis … As the fyr throw brandis red and hate Vastis the selffe; sa is he desolate a1500 Henr. Fab. 519.
Off chalmerglew … Waistit he wes a1500 K. Hart 919.
Myn wittis hes he waistit oft with wyne c1515 Asl. MS I 322/9.
Assuerus king of Assery … his quene wasti[t] for inobediens c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 127.
He is waistit [C. wistit] and worne fra Venus werkis, And may nought beit worth a bene in bed of my mystirs c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 178.
He has bene waistit apone wemen or he me wif chesit c1590 Fowler I 236/10.
And thought that I [sc. Death] thé for a tyme hes spaird To waist with woe thy ouercummed corpsereflex. a1500 Bernardus 108.
Better is to othir kepe thi selffe Than to forswme and wast away thi selffe a1578 Pitsc. I 115/3.
The king … was gretlie effaired thinkand that he had wastit him sellff and his muny and had tyred all his subiectis in the persuit and heirschip and dantoning of the Erle of Douglas

5. To destroy, ruin (lands, property, etc.) deliberately or through misuse or neglect. Also with an animal as the cause of the destruction. Also in fig. context.There may be some overlap with b below. a1400 Leg. S. xl 208.
Thare he saw sawyne il seide, To distroy it he cane hyme spede … & besyly cane hyme haste That il begyt wes, to waste 14.. Acts I 60/2.
That the erlis … leif … apon thair awne landis … and nocht as husbandmen or pastouris wastand [L. devastantes] thair landis … with multitud of scheip and bestis ?a1450 Florimond 377.
That king askit quhy that land That wes sa fair and weill lyand Wes waistit, but habitatioun Off castell, citie, or of toun 1460 Hay Alex. 2658.
In that land sa gret aboundance was Off edderis quhilk half waistit haid the place 1462 Peebles B. Rec. I 144.
Gyf it hapynnis the sayde tenement and land to be wastyt or dispoulyeide be ony maner of way [etc.] 1475 Acts II 112/1.
Siluer and gold put to the fire to be maid bulȝone to vther new money is minist waistit and distroyit in the translacione be the fire 1491 Acts II 225/1.
The persone … that gettis sic wardis … sall nocht waist nor distroy ther biggingis charteris woddis parkis stankis myndis nor dovcatis bot hald thaim in siclik kynd as thai ar in the tyme that he gettis & ressauis the samen 1513 Doug. ii xi 130.
Belyve the fyre al waistand I espyit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3930.
This being done, the well sa sall ȝe waist 1589 Coll. Aberd. & B. 354.
Throche the rigorous remowing of insycht plenissing and ornamentis of houssis … thair … houssis and maner places being desolutt, westit, and maid emptie of plenissing hes becum altogidder ruinus 1622-6 Bisset II 189/32.
Allace for pitie that sa notable and sua magnifik buildingis and fundationis of kirkis [etc.] … suld have bene sa raschelie … demolisched … and cassin doun, ȝea and sa sacralegiouslie delapidate vaisted and spended 1661 Irving Dumbartonsh. II App. 328.
The said burgh is situat betwix the rivers of Levin and Clyd, and Leven being ane river of strong current, not only is therby the lands and burrow rudes thereof totallie waisted and overflowen, and the water works defaced [etc.]fig. 1513 Doug. iv ii 38.
Of hoyt amouris the subtell quent fyre Waistis [Ruddim. waystis] and consumys merch, banys and lyre

b. To harry, lay waste (land), to destroy, damage (a country, city, property, etc.) as the result of a battle or raid. Also absol. c1420 Wynt. ii 1398.
The Sytykys than wytht thare poware Had wastyd [W. waistit] all that land off were c1420 Wynt. vi 418.
Apon that he come on were, And wastyd [C. wastyt, W. waistit] all wyth hys powere Tuskane, Rome, and Ytaly c1475 Wall. ix 442.
Nyne hundyr sum off worthi chewalry … full haistely couth ryd, Raissyt feill fyr, and waistyt wonnyngis wid c1515 Asl. MS I 202/7.
To mak the said forest he distroyit & wastit xxvj townis and thar kirkis and lxxx housis of religioun 1504 Breadalbane Doc. No. 32.
Thar landis possessionis and gudis to waist distroy and birne like as oure said lieutennand thinkis waist expedient 1515–16 Reg. Privy S. I 412/2.
To ras and assemblie thame … for resisting and develling of theves, rebellis and tratouris that waistis and herys the cuntre 1533 Bell. Livy II 304 (BM).
Be … frequent & nychtlie incurses he vastit so the landis … that [etc.] 1549 Compl. 97/10.
In ther returnyng hamuart, thai vaistit and brynt Northt Humyrland and mony vthir plaicis of Ingland 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5891.
This king he thocht all Rome for to destroy … To waist that toun, and put it all to sack 1596 Dalr. I 182/20.
Donalde of the yles waysted baith Rosse and Morayland in reuenge of his freind Natholok 1596 Dalr. I 261/18.
The Hiland men, quha wraket all about Dunbriton, and waisted that cuntrie 1598 James VI Basil. Doron App. 309.
Ye shall not reid of any cuntrey more inuadit wysted and spoiled 1650 Nicoll Diary 35.
These three kirkes … the Hie Scule, and a great pairt of the College of Edinburgh wer all wasted, thair pulpites, daskis, loftes, saittes, windois, dures, lockes, bandis, and all uther thair decormentis, war all dung doun to the ground by these Inglische sodgeris, and brint to asses 1663 Red Bk. Menteith I 389.
The said paroch was … totallie brunt and weisted by the Inglisch airmyabsol. 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 313.
They agreed that Huntly, then wasting over the Spey, should make his way … to besiege Inverness

c. To destroy, kill (an animal). 1460 Hay Alex. 2666.
For the virtue of his holie banes, The serpentis war all waistit thair at anis 1578 Glenartney Doc..
The brokin men of the hielandis … slew waistit and distroyit be schuting … the deir of our forrest

II. intr.6. Of something material: To suffer wear and tear, to deteriorate with decay; to lie unused or neglected. a1400 Leg. S. l 126.
All ydolis of stok & stane Mone nedling rot, & wast, & wane 1576 Crail B. Ct. 19 June.
[The tenement is] ruwynowsse and wastit in ruiffe and wallis 1670 Aberd. Council Lett. V 58.
Anent the wast housses … they finding the saids lands have bein wastand above the space of thrie yeires they ordaine … persones … whome they know to have interest to build and repair [etc.]

b. Of a person: To lose vitality, suffer a deterioration in health. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4123.
He lyis as still beside me as ane stane: For he is waik, auld, cauld, waistit and dry c1590 Fowler I 211/14.
Save death I see no help therfor To staunche, quenshe, lousse, the bloode, the bleise and knott, That binds, waists, rinis, which I to stey meanes not

c. With away. 1650 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. LI (1975) 49.
His cattell … waist away with two skabbit ky also who also died 1650 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. LI (1975) 49.
Adam Corsan … waisted away in his body estait and meins vntill his death a1605 Montg. Misc. P. i 10.
Tyme dois waist and weir all things auay

7. To spend, squander. c1510 Aberd. Univ. Rev. XXXVI 50.
Ane [woman] gaderis ande ane vther vastis Ys na wis man with ane that traistis a1570-86 Maitl. F. 344/3.
Get and saif and thou sall haif, waist and want len and craiff 1584 Acts III 309/2.
All and haill the thriddis of the benefices … and the superplus … or now waistit altogidder and dilapidat be reasoun of takis pensionis and vtheris dispositionis maid thairof