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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.

Waw, Wall, Waif(f, Waff(e, n.2 Also: wa(a, wal, vall, wafe, vaiffe, vaff, (waiv). Pl. also waves. [ME and e.m.E. waȝ(e (Layamon), waw(e (c1290), wauu, wagh(e (both Cursor M.), wau(e (1526), wave (1530), Waw v.]

I. 1. a. sing.A wave. b. coll.Waves, the sea, freq. in collocation with wind. Also fig. or in fig. context. c. pl.Waves of the sea or a body of water; the wavy surface of the sea. Also fig. or in fig. context.a. sing. 1375 Barb. iii 709.
The schippys our the wawys slayd … sum wald be Rycht on the wawys as on mounte And sum wald slyd fra heycht to law … Syne on the waw stert sodanly
?1438 Alex. i 234.
Emynedus beheld Thame of Gaderis our-tak the feild, That thikkar our the hillis did thraw Than in grete wynd on sey dois waw
c1420 Wynt. iv 258 (C).
For nakyn waw, sprynge na spate
1513 Doug. i iii 57.
Neptune … His plesand hede, rasit on the hyast wall
c1520-c1535 Nisbet St. James i 6.
He that doutis is like to a waw [W., P. wawe] of the see, quhilk is mouet … about of wind
1535 Stewart 10522.
The buschment brak about hir like ane wall
b. coll. a1500 Lanc. 1316.
Thi schip, that goth apone the stormy vall
c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 92.
Eolus full woid and Neptunus … us met with wind and waw
1513 Doug. i i 78.
Wild fyre down scho slang … distroyt thar schippis all, Ourquhelmyt the sey with mony wyndy wall
1513 Doug. iii viii 114.
The swelland swyrl vphesyt ws … Syne wald the waw swak ws doun
1535 Stewart 6157.
Quhilis in wynd and vther quhilis in wall, Tha war in point … to perische
1535 Stewart 22177.
[They] saillit furth betuix baith wynd and waw
1535 Stewart 44216.
That storme … Ouir wynd and waiv [? erron. for waw] so fast it did thame dryve That [etc.]
a1568 Sempill in Sat. P. xlvi 54.
Syne … gar hir top twiche wind and waw
1600-1610 Melvill 169.
A tempestous schoure … with sic a how wa and spene drift, that … he lukit for grait danger
1661 Lamont Diary 139.
A new harbory for shipping … was ouerturned by storme of wynde and waw
fig. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2956.
The watter is the warld, ay welterand With mony wall of tribulatioun
1571 J. Maitland in Sat. P. xxvii 31.
Bewar thairfoir with wadder, waw, and wind With oncouth coursis [etc.]
1584 Cal. Sc. P. VII 220.
Tossit hevilie betuix wynd and waw
1644 Hume Douglas (STS) 76/35.
In the midst of this dispaire … the author of goodnes … sitting at the ruder of that boote … that they gave not place to the violence of those wawes
c. pl. 1375 Barb. iii 715.
Amang The wawys reft thar sycht of land
a1400 Leg. S. xvi 431.
The se … That hol & hey wawis mad
c1400 Troy-bk. i 457.
Scho wald … hydwisly wp raise the see To weltyr in wawis
c1420 Wynt. i 399.
The wattyris wox … Off wellys waveryde wawys [W. wallis] wyde Oure hyrne and hyrst
a1500 Quare Jel. 550.
Thy stormy thoucht ay walking to and fro As doth the schip amang the wawis dryve
1513 Doug. i iv 16.
Sovir from all wyndis blawis Flowis the schore deip, euer stabil but ony wawis
1540 Lynd. Sat. 622.
Waws
1581-1623 James VI Poems I 86/24.
So shall she neuer droun againe the land, But brek her wawes on rockis, her mairch to keip
1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 44.
Wawes
(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 1060.
The ways sowne hym wesch avay
1596 Dalr. I 32/26.
With fludes flowing round about, and wattirrie wais evin sa of the sey
(c) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1717.
Nothus … Ourtirvis the depe se in wallis
a1500 Henr. Fab. 736.
The fox … fure vnto the flude To fang him fisch … Bot quhen he saw the walterand wallis woude [etc.]
1513 Doug. i iii 30.
Othir thre [sc. ships] Eurus from the deip wallis Cachit amang the schald bankis of sand
1513 Doug. Comm. i iii 54.
Tha discryve hym [sc. Neptune] rydand in a cart, quhilk betakinnys the weltyng our of the sey wallys, that rollys, hurlys and brais lyke cart quhelis
1513 Doug. v xi 60 (Sm.).
Lo thus saland throw out the mekle se, … we ly warpit on the wallis gray
1513 Doug. v xii 57.
The schippys … flet our the walys
1528 Lynd. Dreme 128.
I … satt styll, in that coue, quhare I mycht se The woltryng of the wallis vp and doun
1533 Boece 151b.
Beȝond ws is na … vthir thing except haire rochis and welterand wallis
1533 Boece 279b.
The schip drevin amang wallis and seis
1549 Compl. 39/35.
The suelland vallis of the brym seye
1587-99 Hume 28/83.
Wals
1666-7 Blakhall Narr. 153.
The rageing wales and brocken water
(d) 1596 Dalr. I 30/11.
Quhairin is a … loch … oft fleitande with gret surges and waues lyke the wais of the sey
fig. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 16.
Quhen stereles to trauaile I begouth, Amang the wawis of this warld to driue
1598 Melvill Propine 142.
Vpon that rock me firmely fund, … Against the whilk na waes nor wund Can deare
1581-1623 James VI Poems I 23/101.
Yongmen … by our art compyles. Seke night and day Castalias waltring waas, Climme day and night the twinrocks of Parnaas

II. 2. An undulating movement. 1513 Doug. vii vi 25.
The grysly serpent sum tyme semyt tobe About hir hals a lynkit gold chenȝe; And sum tyme of hir curche, lap with a waif, Becum the selvage … of hir quafe

3. A signal; a wave of the hand, etc.; a gesture. 1530 Aberd. B. Rec. I 446.
The watch that beis in Santt Nicholas stepill to haue ane waif [pr. waip] or tua within the samyn and quhen he seis ony man cummand … gif thair be bot ane, gif bot a knell with the bell … and the watch … to pyt on the waiffs that he hes to the part of the toun he seis thame cumand
1600 Crim. Trials II 113.
The boy … gaue his maister ane tokine that the said gaird wer gone, be the schaw or waiff of hes hand curche
1609 Acts IV 421/2.
Quhan ȝe ar about half a myll fra schore … to gar sett furth a waff [Crim. Trials II 287, vaff]
1678 Law Memor. 123n.
[Baptising them anew] with an waff of his hand, like a dewing
1685 J. Barclay A. Skene's Surv. Aberd. 215.
And as soon as ye come to the road ye can allwayes have a boat for putting out a vaiffe at all occasions for piloting you into the harbour

4. A blow or blast of wind. 1617 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. VIII 347.
Sche could give ane charme for the waff of ane ill wind

5. transf.A glimpse, a fleeting or momentary sight or experience of a person or thing. a1658 Durham Clavis Cantici 311.
The least glimpse, or waffe of him, when it is seen, … is very delightsome
1662 Law Memor. Pref. lxxii.
The devil convoyed her home … and … her master saw a waff of him as he went away from hir
1669 Fleming Fulfilling Scripture (1726) ii ii 268.
A waffe as it were of the glorious God doth go by to the discerning of others
1690 Sermon Preached Before Earle of Melvil 11 May 1690 4–5.
To have a wafe of heaven brought into your soul
a1659 W. Guthrie Christians Gt. Interest (1724) Explan. Scots Words 139/9.
Waff here signifies a flash

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"Waw n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/waw_n_2>

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