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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.

Wed(e, Weid, n.² Also: weyd, veyd, wide, vyd(e, wad(e, wood(e. Pl. also weiddis, weedes, wyddis, waiddis. [ME and e.m.E. wied(e (c1200), wed (a1250), wede (Cursor M.), weede (1434), wid(e (1532), OE wéod.] A weed, freq. in metaphorical or allusive use as a type of something useless, faded or harmful. Also proverb.(a) c1460 Thewis Gud Women 94.
Schame is to-day be quhit & red And one the morne waloyt as a wed a1500 Henr. Orph. 350.
Erudices … Rycht warsch and wan and walowit as the wede 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 59.
The wynd maid waif the red wed [Sm. weyd] on the dyke 1513 Doug. xiii Prol. 27.
The hailsum herbis, cleyn but wedis 1533 Boece 55b.
Ane porte maist … convenient to harbery schippis … now it is stoppit be glar and rutis of wedis growin among the slike(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2465.
The keipar … For verray wo woxe wanner nor the weid c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 145/139.
Latt no wyld weid full of churlichenes Compair hir till the lilleis nobilnes 1535 Stewart 49511.
Paill of hew and wan as ony weid 1551 Hamilton Cat. 119.
The feild of ane ydill man, … was full of nettillis and weiddis 1562-3 Winȝet II 64/30.
Quha appropriatis to ewill weidis [L. mala gramina] and to thair venomous iuse the name of medicine that na man … quhen he sal reid the medicine and remeid writtin vpon it mot suspect vennum 1570 Sat. P. xv 26.
Cum, nettillis, thornie breiris, & rew, With all foull filthie weid, Now plant ȝow quhair thir sweit flouris grew 1571 Sempill in Sat. P. xxviii 6.
I se na plesure permanabill, Bot as the weid it widderis sone away 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv 308.
Halie water and the lamber beidis, Flyntworthe, and fourtie vther weidis 1596 Dalr. I 122/19.
Quha throuch his negligens, lattis gude ground … ouirgang with weidis, for the first falte [etc.](c) c1590 J. Stewart 71/65.
Thow puls the vyd and leifs the fragrant rois 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 80b (Table).
Guilde (quhilk is ane pernicious herbe, or rather ane wide)(d) a1603 Anc. Prophecies i 41.
When wenoum and wadis ar wastyd & away lede [Anc. Prophecies 7, When war men and woodes away went] And euerylk seede in his sesoune kyndly settproverb. 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. Prov. No. 69.
Thair is no ground so guid bot that it bringeth furth weedes as weill as flowers a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 70.
Ane evill weid waxes weill

b. In various phrases in contradistinction to corne. c1520-c1535 Nisbet John x 16 marg.
Nocht that all the heythenn nor all the Jewes sall convert, for thair sal be still waiddis amangis the cornne 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 453.
Tha beirnes … grew, as did the weid [Pitsc. I 211/10, wyddis] abufe the corne c1530-40 Stewart in Maitl. F. 355/86.
Lat no moir the weydis ouir ga the corne 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 122b.
He comparis the Kirk … to ane croft in the quhilk baith the gude corne and the veydis grouis to gidder c1590 J. Stewart 82/79.
As the vyde increscis vith the corn so [etc.]

c. specif.Applied to tobacco. 1622 Reg. Privy C. XIII 28.
The abuse and frequent taking of the infective weade callit tabacco

d. fig.or transf.Something or someone useless or harmful. a1561 Norvell Meroure 8a.
Sprang bryeres or weides of filth or bittirnesse 1613 Highland P. III 127.
It wes amang thame resolved … that without transplantatioun of this clan no quyetnes to thais boundis culd be expected, so as this manis repossessioun to any landis [etc.] … in regaird thair is no dout … bot quhen he findis him self of new strenthned withe a fresche grouth of this wnhappie weid quhairof thair be of male kynd sum xvj^xx of new aryseing [etc.]