Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Weit, Wat(e, adj. Also: weite, weitt, weyt(e, wete, weet(e, weeitt, weat, wet(t, vet(t, wait(t, wayt, watt, vait, vayt, wyte. [ME and e.m.E. wet(e (both Layamon), wat(e, wett (all Cursor M.), weet (c1320), weiete (1432-50), weat (1542), OE wǽt, ON vátr.] 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Madidus, vdus, weit

1. Exposed to rain or water; wetted, soaked, etc. with moisture; sodden; harmed or damaged by moisture. b. Weitschod, with wet feet. c. Weitt fauld, an enclosure providing protection against bad weather. d. Watt drop, the discharge of a drain or gutter. e. Wattwork, work involving exposure to wet conditions.(a) 1375 Barb. iv 380.
Thoucht thai wate war & wery c1420 Wynt. iv 257.
That wattyr … Hyr kneys off it suld noucht be wate 1513 Doug. vi v 132.
I grippit … The scharp rolkis toppys at the schoyr, In hevy wayt [Sm. wait] frog stad(b) a1500 Prestis of Peblis 186 (A) (see b below).
Weit 1505 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 105.
Fulȝie weit and dry c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1024.
The dew did sa on flouris fleit, That baith my lymmis ar maid weit 1619 Perth Kirk S. MS 16 Nov.
Weitt(c) 1498 Halyb. 236.
Sald the sek forest … and it was ewyll vet and spylt a1540 Freiris Berw. 38 (B).
Verry tyrit and wett wes Freir Allane c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5965.
Wett 1552 Edinb. B. Rec. II 172.
We sall mak … ane corne mercate that the laidis and personis … sall stand dry quhair as now thai stand wet 1692 Presb. Eloq. (1694) 57.
We found Christ without a wet foot(d) 1547 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. vi p. 2 (Hope v. Tod & Robertson).
Gudis … gottin furtht of the brokin schip … five elnis of watt claytht 1558 Aberd. B. Rec. I 311.
Tua pounds of wat saifroune, and spilt with salt watt [? erron. for watter] 1597 Crim. Trials II 26.
The said Cristian … tuke ane of the said Androis sarkis … and bad hir dip it in the wall … quhilk Cristian Saidler put vpoun him, wat as it was 1602 Conv. Burghs II 143.
Gif the merchandis guidis be watt or spilt a1605 Montg. Sonn. lxvi 7.
Draiglit in dirt, vhylis wat evin to the [skin] 1621 Chron. Perth 22.
Thair wes suche ane inundatione of vater … all the peopill in the castell gavill and west port, wer wat in thair beddis and wakened with water to the waist 1638 Edinb. Test. LVIII 270b.
Sex pund wecht of watt tobaccoe … Certane watt hardisb. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 186 (A).
Thar faderis … ran … on fut And ofttymes weitschod wery & weitc. 1609 Inverurie 193.
Ordeinit that the weitt fauld be biggit and hainit … to the effect that the car may be keipit therein … and na uther hors nor beast be put therein until the hairst begind. 1618 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 179.
The coble at the heid of Marliouns Wynd … hes … often brokin out and run doun the close … thairfore … incaice it salbe fund … heirefter that the same sall brek furth or run doun the close … that ilk tennent and occupyar of ane watt drop within the same pay for ilk drop ten punde. 1645 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 117.
Robert Lamb for wat work [12 s.] 1645 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 146.
Johne Hall for watt vork and laich coll [12 s.]

2. a. predic.Of ground, a route or place: Wet, boggy; made wet. b. attrib.Chiefly of agricultural land: Wet, boggy, heavy. Also in place-names. c. Wate plowed, ploughed when too wet.a. 1375 Barb. xix 696.
I haff gert se ws a gait Suppos that it be sumdele wate [C. wat], A page off owris we sall nocht tyne c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1668.
Wyntir … the waleis mais All wete and scowres all the brais c1420 Wynt. i 968 (C).
The watyr of Nyle our fletis it all Withe mowynge spryngis with outtyn spate Qwhen Egipte nedis to be wate [W. wait] a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 35.
Sa wundir wait wes the way 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 51.
The dolly dichis war all donk and wait 1684 Glamis Bk. Record 39.
The place by reasone of these ditches appeared most exceedingly marish and weatb. 1517 Wigtown B. Ct. 63a.
The pece of vait land set to [etc.] 1522 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. XV 305.
The inqueist admittis Cristane McGee … to the kyndnes of half ane akyr of the commone lands in the waitslaks 1529 Wigtown B. Ct. 215b.
Vayt 1539 Reg. Great S. 458/1.
Unam acram de lie infeildland jacen. infra lie weitfurlandis 1540 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II 113.
De Weitschaw … vj s. viij d. 1552–3 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 229.
Et terras nuncupatas ly Weitlandis 1587 Carmichael Etym. 9.
Humus, weit ground 1591 Exch. R. XXII 537.
Senescallus de Kirkcudbright … unacum lie waytyaird, et lie kilyaird … et lie lymeyaird [pr. lyneyaird] 1596 Dalr. II 286/15.
That narow and watt place ful of dubis and myres 1636 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 527.
iij s. 4 d. for the annuall of his weitlandis 1647 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 798.
That nane of thame … intromett with the said gras … growand betuix the weytlandis 1673 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 454.
The wat rigs that lyes west of the mansione hous when they salbe dykit, [the said John having the use of the half of the said] wat rigs eftir dyking 1674 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 9 Dec.
Twa pecks beir eaten be his horse in the weit landis 1682 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 7 June.
He is to build ane barne at the heid of his oune beirland in the Weitlands 1687 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 291.
Weetlandsc. 1699 Belhaven Rudiments 27.
If the land be hard being wate plowed

3. Of weather: Rainy, wet. a1500 Rauf C. 106.
In wickit wedderis and weit walkand full will a1500 Henr. Fab. 458.
In froist and snaw, in wedder wan and weit 1535 Stewart 10969.
Quhen winter went with wedderis wan and weit 1604-31 Craig ii 48.
My loue the sommer … And my dispaires the winter cold and weet 1661 Nicoll Diary 324.
This moneth of Marche … producit much weeitt … weather a1699 Skene Agric. MS (ed.) 68.
Wheat wold be sown in watt wather but not over watt wather 1676 Rothesay B. Rec. 345.
To meitt … the first wett day quherby people may not be troubled with ther harvest

4. Of other liquids, etc.: Wet, soaked, moistened, etc. with a. Tears. b. Sweat, blood, or urine. c. Drink. d. Other substances.a. ?1438 Alex. i 1472.
Sum of thame sa sair can grete That thare auantallis worthit weit c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 11/133.
Repentence ay with cheikis wait 15.. Clar. iii 777.
Hir lustie visage all with teiris weite a1578 Pitsc. II 77/22.
So thai depairtit witht cheikis watt on baitht the sydis 1650 Carstairs Lett. 60.
How weet cheeks I had this morning at your coming at landb. ?1438 Alex. ii 10208.
Thair lynning claithis with blude and sueit … war all maid weit c1400 Troy-bk. ii 822.
So that maid wete the most part was Of the gret altere of hys blood 1513 Doug. ix vi 56.
Thar lordis hed, … Of smytis he, quhill all the bed wolx weyt: Lyke a ded stok the corps wantand the hed 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proclam. 277.
And ȝe ladyis … faill nocht to teme ȝour bleddir I dreid, or we haif half done with our wark, That some of ȝow sall mak ane richt wait sark 15.. Clar. v 2338.
Both thair brandis bloodie was and wate(b) ?1438 Alex. i 1571.
Fra ane of thame he reft ane spere … I trow in blude wyte sone sall bec. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 115/16.
Ȝit wald my mouth be wet [M. wait] with drinkd. ?1438 Alex. ii 424.
On the alter … Four swords hes he … set, Quhill thay in hony and oyle wer wet

e. Of a book: Newly printed, still wet from the printing process. 1619 Misc. Bann. C. I 209.
They … affirmes that the book was watt, new come of the press

5. Pleonastically of a liquid. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 4 (C).
The kyng … in-to full mony Of weete [D. weyte] teres ryght sorowfully Brest out a1500 K. Hart 327.
Ane pallioun … With teiris weit ar rottin 1513 Doug. vii iv 82 (Sm.).
Fra that deluge … Careit throu feill large haw stremys wait 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 89/14.
Dew that … was soukit up … it was so light and weit a1605 Montg. Misc. P. li 6.
Mistie vapouris weit

6. Describing a substance or product. a. Of cloth: Cleaned, fulled or dyed by a process involving water. b. Of malted grain: Steeped. c. Wattlyme, slaked lime.a. a1568 Sempill in Sat. P. xlviii 39.
[They] May weir the claith for woll and threid Bot in the walk-mill the wedder is ill Thir ar nocht drying dayis indeid And gif it be watt, … It tuggis in hoilis 1581 Edinb. Test. IX 306.
Of watt lynt clengit 1582 Dundee B. Laws 548 (see Weit v. 7).
Vett 1681 New Mills Manuf. 10.
16½ ells of wait cloth 1688 New Mills Manuf. 184.
The shearmen be only paid … for the cloath as it comes watt from the milneb. 1575 Edinb. Test. III 459b.
Of malt weit & dry xxx bollis 1670 S. Ronaldshay 10.
Payet from Edward Rossie … of all his land deutie, both wetmalt, fleshe, oyle and poultriec. 1625 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 161.
For upbringing the … watt lyme [gap in MS] from the schoir

7. a. Of fruits, spices, etc.: Preserved in liquid, chiefly syrup or spirits. b. ? Of fish: Salted or cured in brine.a. c1580-90 Rules of Health.
Ȝour ladyschip may vse … dry or watt droggis 1597 Bk. Rates 3b.
Confectis callit dry or weit, the pund 1600-1610 Melvill 256.
A banquet of wat and dry confectiones 1607 Misc. Maitl. C. I 170.
Twa pund of wet confecit abrecois at viij s. the vnce 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 312.
Wett confectionis—Preserved barbareis … Preserved chirreis … Venice pearis … Lemmonis and oranges … Marmalad [etc.] 1615 Edinb. Test. XLVIII 264b.
Tua barrellis wet confectiounis at xl s. the barrell 1622 Edinb. Test. LI 255b.
Thriescoir … pund wecht of wett pepper 1681 Blackness Customs 27b.
Three small boxes containing eighty pund of wet fruits confectedb. 1645 Army of the Covenant I 276.
For washing of 10 packs of wett lockrams [? = lucken a half-split haddock (SND Lucken adj. 2 (3), n.¹).]

8. a. Weit ledder, appar. a type of leather ? produced by a process different from that which produced dry ledder or ? different in appearance, etc. from dry ledder. See also Ledder n.² 4 (2) for further examples. b. Wate skinis, ? undressed leather, ? = a.a. 1582 Treas. Acc. MS 101b.
Blak weluet tobe wattis to his hienes weit ledder schone 1582 Treas. Acc. MS 110a.
Ane pair of buttis of watt ledder 1588 Treas. Acc. MS 93a.
A pair of wat ledder buttis 1591 Thanes of Cawdor 205.
Wait ledder schone 1596 Treas. Acc. MS 79a.
Foure pair of waitt ledder buttis 1607 Argyll Acc. 11 June.
To Katherein Colvill tua pair weit leddir schooneb. 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 43b.
Rebetit to the said Robert Tode for wate skinis and want of skinis v frankis xv sows

9. Of weights and measures: Suitable for measuring liquids. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Gangiatores.
Al measures, & weichts, baith dry & weete