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.
Quotation dates: 1778-1827
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WHILTIE-WHALTIE, n., v., adv.
I. n. In phr. to play (a) whiltie-whaltie, of the heart: to go pit-a-pat, to beat rapidly, palpitate (Sc. 1808 Jam.).Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 14:
My heart plays a whiltie whaltie whan I kiss her.Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnston Eliz. de Bruce III. v.:
She had a stout heart, but I think it played whiltie-whaltie then.
II. v. 1. Of the heart: id. (Ayr. 1825 Jam.).Edb. 1821 Scots Mag. (April) 351:
A kin' o' nettling ramfeezlement gart a' my heart whiltie-whaltie.
2. To dally, loiter (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.). See Whilliewhallie.
III. adv. In phr. to go whiltie-whaltie, = I.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 175:
His heart, bein' dirlet to the quick, Gaes whiltie-whaltie, fast and thick.
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"Whiltie-whaltie n., v., adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/whiltiewhaltie>
