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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.

Wep(e, Weip, v. Also: vepe, weipe, veip(e, ueip, weeip, weep(e, vip. P.t. also vepit, weaped, weept, wypit. [ME and e.m.E. wepe(n (c1175), weep (Chaucer), weap (1603); p.t. wep (1297), wepte (Wyclif), OE wépan.]

1. intr.To weep, shed tears, to lament. b. Const. for an object of lamentation. c. Const. for, into, with the causal emotion. d. Const. infin.pres. a1400 Leg. S. xvi 598.
Be nocht anoyt [gyf] thi wyf slepe, Thi sone reste, & wmquhile wepe c1500 Fyve Bestes 264.
Now wepis he that leuch this hender ȝeire(b) ?1438 Alex. ii 124.
The gudeman … sichit deip, And with his ene sair coud he weip a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 298.
Mony wedou … wraithly sal weip a1500 Henr. Fab. 1028.
This wretchit wolf weipand thus on he went a1500 Henr. Fab. 1752.
Giff it growis we sall Haue cause to weip a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 231.
Thus variant scho was … With ane eye lauch, and with the vther weip 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4271.
Scho began to weip and mak murning 1570 Sat. P. xiii 150.
The tyme sall cum that he sall weip and murne Quhen hiddeous Hell … body and saule for euer mair sall burne 1581 Sat. P. xliv 219.
Veip c1600 Montg. Suppl. iv 46.
Than suld I nocht, with fludis of teiris, Bevail the day, nor weip the nicht 1611 Melvill Dream in Fugitive Poetry II ii 5/20.
I sigh't and gron'd, howbeit I could not weipe(c) a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1680.
Quhen others shood weeip he wold sing 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 159.
I should weep if it should come to … bartering [etc.]p.t. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1421.
Scho … cryit and weipit fast c1475 Wall. i 264.
Than wepyt scho, and said full oft, ‘Allas!’ c1515 Asl. MS I 320/5.
He torned him to the wall and wepit 1586 Warrender P. (SHS) I 228.
Veiped 1586 Warrender P. (SHS) I 229.
Heir againe scho weped and protested [etc.] 1648 Lanark Presb. 61.
The women … most lamentablie weeped and cryed out 1666 Carstairs Lett. 162.
When he read it, he weaped 1695 Annandale Corr. 96.
They weeped both about an hour(b) 1693 Argyle P. 61.
Poor Johnie weept when I told him he must not see youp.p. 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 218.
Augustyne confessis hym self wepit, God wait, Redyng thy lamentabill end mysfortunat c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xi 17.
We haue murnyt to you, and ye haue nocht wepitb. 1375 Barb. iii 350.
Men mycht haiff sene … At leve-takyng the ladyis gret … And knychtis for thar luffis sak Bath sich and wep and murnyng mak a1500 Seven S. 2032.
Ȝit I am wepand for thé That thai begylit thé a1500 Prestis of Peblis 243 (A).
He wepis nocht for na warldis welth to wyn c1515 Asl. MS I 301/1.
All Cristin wepis for the deth of Crist 1549 Compl. 25/20.
The prophet Hieremye vepit for the stait of the public veil of Babillone 1567 G. Ball. 10.
That we … our sin suld knaw, Repent and mend, and for it weip a1568 Gyre-carling 6.
For luve of hir lawchand lippis he walit and he weipit 1633 Dalyell Darker Superst. 474.
Ye weipit for the truble they wer in but not for their deathc. 1375 Barb. xx 247.
Than wes nane in that cumpany That thai na wepyt for pite c1475 Wall. v 1124.
Wemen fast sar wepand in to wa c1475 Wall. viii 733.
Wedowis wepyt with sorow c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 288.
I … for wo weipit I litill c1590 J. Stewart 54/62.
Scho vips for vod. 15.. Clar. iv 2638.
The pepill … weipit for rewth and for pitie To sie the king regrate on sike ane wayes 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 211/80.
The chylde … did ueip To sie [etc.]

2. transf.a. Of the eyes: To shed tears. b. Of the heart: To lament. c. Of a thing, bird, etc.: To express sorrow.a. 1553 Knox III 380.
All oure eis wypit at anis 1567 G. Ball. 16.
Wowis vaine … Sall gar thame gnasche thair teith, & eyis weipb. 1604-31 Craig iii 32.
My … heart must weepe to see [etc.]c. a1500 Henr. Orph. 137.
O dulfull harpe … Turne all thi … musik in murnyng … Now wepe with me a1500 Henr. Orph. 445.
Than parfyte reson wepis wondir sare, Seand [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 141/31.
In this May few birdis herd I sing Thai haif moir caus to weip and plane thair sorrow 1570 Sat. P. xv 1.
Ȝe montaines, murne; ȝe valayis, vepe … Deploir our lait regent

3. tr.To shed (tears, etc.) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 20/147.
Quhen scho did marcy craife, I sall as scho weipe [Arund. veipe] teris for my mys a1585 Polwart Flyt. 690 (T).
And cairl cattis veip vinager with bothe thair ene