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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.

WIDE, adj.2, adv.2. Also weide. Sc. usages.

I. adj. In combs. and phrs.: 1. to the wide wa, to the fullest extent or width, a variant of 3. (Cai. 1974); 2. wide-gab, the angler fish, Lophius piscatorius (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 228; Ayr. 1845 Stat. Acc.2 V. 447; mn.Sc. (b) 1880 F. Day Fishes I. 74; e.Sc. 1903 G. Sim Fauna of “Dee” 215); 3. wide to the wa, of a door: wide open, pushed back as far as it will go (I. and ne.Sc. 1974); 4. wide-world waukin, wide awake (Ork. 1974). See Wauk, v., 1.1. Cai. 1928:
He'll open his e'en til 'e widewa'.
2. Sh. 1808 Wernerian Soc. Mem. I. 548:
It is very characteristically termed the wide-gab, the mouth being hideously large, extending entirely across its disproportionately great head.
3. Sc. 1847 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes 240:
A castle that stood on a hillock, wi' the door standing wide to the wa'.
Rxb. 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 24:
Hei's left the ooter door weide ti the waa. Nae wunder there's a caald draucht.
4. m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 24:
He was wide-world waukin', and the fient a spunk o' sleep in his face.

II. adv. in phrs. 1. to gae or keep wide, of a sheep-dog: to go ahead but well away from the sheep (Cai., Per., Ayr. 1974); 2. to haud wide o, to keep clear of, avoid (Cai., Per. 1974).1. Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders vii.:
We must “keep wide”, which is a herd's term for keeping some distance from the flock in order not to alarm them.
2. Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 120:
He wudna be carin for comin tae Daltallochan efter dark, onywey: for they said he had haen some queer adventures wi the deevil or the fairies or something, an hel' wide o't, even in daylicht.

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"Wide adj., adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/wide>

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