Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1952-1986
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WAIK, adj., n. Also wake (Sc. 1875 J. Douglas Wit and Humour 144; Gsw. 1904 H. Foulis Erchie 39; Sh. 1930 Sh. Almanac 185; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Bnff. 1962 Banffshire Advert. (8 Feb.)), waek (Sh. 1902 J. Burgess Some Sh. Folk 94); ¶wek (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)); weck (Ork.); wyke (ne.Sc. 1874 W. Gregor Olden Time 67; Abd. 1918 W. B. Morren The Hert's Aye 10, Abd. 1973), ¶wyk-, weyk (Abd. 1865 G. MacDonald Alec Forbes xlv., 1875 W. Alexander My Ain Folk 66), ¶wike (Bnff. 1872 W. Philip It'll a' come richt 149), see P.L.D. §126.2.; wyek (Cai. 1916 J. Mowat Proverbs 9), wyeck (Cai. 1921 T.S.D.C.), see P.L.D. §147.1. (1) (c). Sc. forms of Eng. weak (Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 87; Ags. 1897 Bards Ags. (Reid) 238; Sh. 1899 Shetland News (1 April), Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 191, Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai; I.Sc., Cai., Mry., Bnff., Kcd., m. and s.Sc. 1973). [wek; Abd. wəik]
I. adj.
Sc. forms of Eng. weak.Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 39:
"Geud, thoo made me go weck. So thir fowt, er they? I windered whit Tam wur back so early for. Whit er thoo fowt aboot, boy?"wm.Sc. 1986 Robert McLellan in Joy Hendry Chapman 43-4 31:
Puir sowl. We'll let him aff the lave. He's waik.
Sc. usages:
As in Eng. Sc. combs. and derivs.: waken (Sc. 1933 N.E.D.), waeken (Kcb. c.1820 A. Trotter East Gall. Sk. (1901) 99), wyken (Abd. 1923 R. L. Cassie Heid or Hert 37); wake-leggit, with weak legs (Lnk. 1883 W. Thomson Leddy May 121); waikl(e)y (Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Yonderton 51; Ags. 1894 F. MacKenzie Glenbruar 90), wakely (Edb. 1184 R. F. Hardy J. Halliday xiv.; Per. 1895 I. Maclaren Auld Langsyne 238), w'akly (Fif. 1897 G. Setoun G. Malcolm viii.); waikminded (Abd. 1932 J. Leatham Fisherfolk 19); waikness (Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Yonderton xvii.; em.Sc. 1898 H. Rogers Meggotsbrae 161), wakeness (Sc. 1861 E. B. Ramsay Reminisc. 125; Abd. 1877 G. MacDonald M. of Lossie II. xviii.; sm.Sc. 1923 R. W. Mackenna Bracken and Thistledown 206), waekness (Sh. 1901 T. Ollason Mareel 25), wykness (Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xvii.).
II. n. In pl.: light, poor quality oats, such as are tossed aside in winnowing (Slg., Ayr. 1911 Scotsman (22–28 Dec.)), short for weak-corn. Also in Uls. dial. and prob. borrowed thence.
[O.Sc. waik, 1375, wak, a.1400, wayke, 1456, O.N. veikr, O.E. wāc, weak.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Waik adj., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 9 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/waik>
