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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.

Witles(e, -as, adj. Also: witless(e, vitles, wittlesse, wytles, -ace, vytles. [ME and e.m.E. wittlæs (Orm), witles(e (both c1290), witteles (c1400), OE witléas.]

1. Out of one's wits (with grief, etc.), mad; raving; furious. a1400 Leg. S. xxix 440.
Than wist he nocht quhat to do … That … His barnis bath but helpe tynt be Bot sa lang witlas stil he stud [etc.] 1456 Hay I 226/29.
A witles man, that is to say wood, out of his wit a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 573.
Thus thai mellit on mold … Wraithly wroht, as thei war witlese and wode c1475 Wall. x 400.
Lik a wyld best that war fra reson rent, As wytlace wy, in to the ost he went; Dingand on hard a1500 Seven S. 1997.
The burges … said gar grath my bed to ly … for trewly tyrit am I Than witles was his wyf allmast 1513 Doug. vii vii heading.
Alecto, throw persuasioun of Juno, Queyn Amata al wytles gart sche go 1513 Doug. ix xii 11.
Pandarus seand hys brotheris corps … A fuyll he was and wytles 1513 Doug. xi vi 121.
That I witles and so rakles … The hevynly bodeis durst with swerd assay a1585 Maitl. Q. 103/8.
Woe dois encres, I wax witles 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 170/13.
Ane … confused rabil of vitles bishopis

2. a. Stupid, dull-witted; foolish. b. Mentally deficient.a. 1521–2 Doug. (Sm.) I p. civ.
Yon young wytles fwyll has runnyn apoun his avne myscheyf be continewall persuasioun of wylye subtile men 1580 Hume Promine 3.
Witles, vaine, enuyous, ignorantis a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 581 (W).
Thay ar bot witlesse [L. rakles] young and rasche 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 138.
A witless and lazie observer of the Lord's way and workingb. 1613 Fraserburgh Kirk S. I 13 (25 Feb.).
Ane witles boy 1641 Dunferm. Kirk S. 8.
John Tod a poore witles thing 1673 Cramond Kirk S. II 19 Oct.
She was but a wittlesse young lasse … as some there shewed, could not lay much hold on her speech

3. Unaware of, not knowing (something).Quot. 1584 may belong in Witeles adj. 1584 Reg. Privy C. III 691.
Sum … pairttakaris of the tressonis bipast … hounding out thair wyffis, [etc.] … to contempne … the said reverend fader as gif thair husbandis [etc.] … wer ignorant and wytles of thair rysche and insolent behaviour 1596 Milne-Home MSS 64.
We cwld hawe na mair of Jok Burne bot his promes, and Andro not vytles … qha wald always hawe it to be thocht enewch

4. transf.Of a thing: Imperfect, produced by one lacking in intellect, knowledge or wisdom. c1590 J. Stewart 3.
Remitting all to … ȝour maiesteis visdome, not doutting bot ȝour grace vill accept this my vitles vork