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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.

WARNISH, v. Also ¶wairnish, warnis, warnice, ¶warnas. [′wɑrnɪʃ]

1. tr. To warn, caution, advise (n.Sc. 1808 Jam., warnis). Obs. in Eng. since 14th c. Vbl.n. warnisin, warning (Ags. 1825 Jam.: em.Sc. (a) 1905 E.D.D.; Kcd., Ags. 1973). Deriv. warnishment, warnicement, id., advice.Ags. 1853 W. Blair Aberbrothock 7:
To warnas ye frae gain to companies for they fill the bicker our often.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin ii.:
If he didna ken, it wasna for lack o' due warnicement.Sc. 1868 G. Webster Strathbrachan ii. xii.:
They've gotten the awfu'est heap o' lovers since they gaed awa! but Lady Chirstan has wrote to wairnish them.Abd. 1873 P. Buchan Inglismill 44:
Weel was I warnised ere I cam' frae hame.Knr. c.1890 H. Haliburton Horace (1925) 226:
I warnis ye a', tak' tent to my saw.em.Sc. (a) 1905 E.D.D.:
I'll gie ye fair warnishment.Ags. 1914 I. Bell Country Clash 61:
I warnished him weel what wad be the upshot.

2. tr. and intr. Of a clock: to make a clicking, whirring noise preparatory to striking the hour; rarely with the hour as subj. Cf. Warn, v., 2.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxix.:
Eleven o'clock warniced on the gowkoo-knock.Ags. 1892 Arbroath Guide (21 May) 3:
Oor wag-at-the-wa' just waukened me when it warnished sax o' clock.Ags. 1896 A. Blair Rantin Robin 53:
In aboot half a second oor wag-at-the-wa warnished.