Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wars(c)h(e, Wairsche, adj. Also: warish, wersh, werch. [ME and e.m.E. werische (Trevisa), werysshe (c1425), werish (1513).] a. Of a person: Sickly, feeble. b. Of food or drink: Tasteless, insipid. c. fig.Dull, uninteresting; lacking vigour, character or passion.a. a1500 Henr. Orph. 350.
Erudices … Rycht warsch [A. warsche] and wan and walowit as the wedeb. 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 257.
The pannall came to the Knowes … and gott pottage and some small aill wpon them in the pan, and … said they war werch, they mistered salt a1689 Cleland 72.
Your arguing will … Turn as wersh as saltless kailc. a1599 Rollock Wks. I 398.
He callis it not simplie and bairlie with ane wairsche word, the gospell … bot he callis it the licht of the gospell 1618 W. Barclay Well 7.
So ceasing to prosecute this warsh matter of water, I will never cease to continue Your [etc.] … Barclay 1618 P. Anderson The Colde Spring of Kinghorne Craig in Smout Scotland and Europe 1200–1850 (1986) 29.
[Water was] but a warish and taistles subject, whereof manie lyke litle to heare, far less to taist 1633 W. Struther True Happiness 48.
This was Balaams warsh wishing, his desires were so weak, that they pearced not his heart, how could they pearce the heaven? 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 355.
I should be content to want His kisses at such times, providing He would be content to … take my wersh, dry, and feckless kisses 1653 Binning Wks. (1841) 655.
Prayer must be wersh and unsavoury when the world is sweet a1658 Durham Blessedness Death 31.
To dy … with wersh, teastless, lifeless and groundless apprehensions of mercy c1675 Sc. Ch. Hist. Soc. Rec. I 106.
The less he believes and is perswaded of these truths which he preecheth, his preaching will prove the more warsh, lifeless and coldryf