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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WEDNESDAY, n. Also Sc. forms Wadensday (Gall. 1719 Session Bk. Minnigaff (1939) 329; Rxb. 1829 R. Wilson Hist. Hawick 256; Ags. 1853 W. Blair Aberrothock 45; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai; Cai., Fif., Bwk., Ayr., Rxb. 1973), Wadinsday (Sc. 1712 D. Warrand Culloden Papers (1925) II. 32), Wadnesday (Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 683; Per. 1887 R. Cleland Inchbracken xxvi.; Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. 69), Wadnsdy (Sh. 1898 J. Burgess Tang iii.); Wedensday (Sc. 1700 G. Turnbull Diary (S.H.S.) 396), Wednsd(a)y (Per. 1737–8 Ochtertyre Ho. Bk. (S.H.S.) 1, 174), ¶Wedsinday (Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 78); †Wodensday (‡Rxb. 1825 Jam., 1902 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. 12, 1923 Watson W.-B.); reduced forms Wansday (Bte. 1853 W. Bannatyne Poems 134, Ayr. 1923 Wilson Dial. Burns 89), Wendsday (Sc. 1704 R. Wodrow Early Letters (S.H.S.) 276), Wensday (Sc. 1717 D. Warrand Culloden Papers (1925) II. 174, Per. 1737 Ochtertyre Ho. Bk. (S.H.S.) 4, Ags. 1893 F. Mackenzie Cruisie Sk. xi., m.Sc. 1917 O. Douglas The Setons iii., ne.Sc. 1973); Wadsday (em.Sc. 1912 W. Cuthbertson Dykeside Folk 212, 218). [′wɑ(d)nzde; ′wɛnz-]

Sc. usages: 1. Each of five winter (cattle-)markets, so called because they were held on a Wednesday. Now only in comb. Big Wednesday, the main market of the winter, held at Martinmas (m.Lth. 1973).Slg. 1766 Session Papers, Ure v. Wright State of Process 62:
He never heard the five Wednesdays markets in winter called fairs, but always used to go by the name of the Wednesdays.Edb. 1957 Scotsman (26 Nov.):
Edinburgh Cattle Market. “Big Wednesday,” 27th November.

2. In phr. it's Wednesday thro' a' the warld, — a' the warld o'er, an expression used as a protection against witchcraft. Only in Graham.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 104, 120, 139:
The good wife began to pray for herself and for a' that she had, saying, “It's Wednesday thro' a' the warld, and good be between you and me chapman, for ye're either a witch or a warlock, or something that's no canny.” . . . Ye're a warlock, it's Wednesday a' the warld oer. . . . Ay whan ye speak o' them [devils, etc.], name the day cry it's wansday thro' a' the warld and there's nae fear o' you.