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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.

Wax, v. Also: waxe, vax, walx, wex, walxin, wolx. P.t. woux, wox(e, vox, wolx, woix, wex, wax(i)t, wexit, vexit. P.p. waxin(e, -en, -yn, walxin, -yn, woxin, wax(i)t, vaxit. [ME and e.m.E. wacxsen (c1200), wax(enn (Orm), wex(en (1297); p.t. wex (Orm), wuxen (Layamon), wox (a1300), wacset (14th c.), waxe, wexed (both Caxton); p.p. waxen (a1300), wexen (Cursor M.), woxen (Chaucer), OE weaxan, ON vaxa.] intr.

I. Without complement.

1. To grow, increase in size or number. Also const. up. b. specif.Of a child: To grow (up). 1375 Barb. ix 163.
Thar fayis … ilk day wox ma & ma a1400 Leg. S. ii 783.
That vgly padok … gert he … besyli fosterit be, … and it wox sa [etc.] c1420 Wynt. v 852 (W).
The blude … as welterand wawis ran, Or as a ryuere waxen than 1513 Doug. iv v 1.
The fame heirof, belyve, gan walx and spreid Throu cheif citeis of all Affrik on breid c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. vi 28.
Behald ye the lillies of the feelde, how thai wax [W., P. wexen] c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xiii 7.
Thornes wox [W. wexen, P. woxen] c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xiii 32.
Waxine c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts xii 24.
And the word of the Lorde waxit [W. wexide, P. waxide] and was multiplijt 1535 Stewart 51187.
That flude was waxit so than with the rane, That [etc.] 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1587 (Ch.).
Then welth sall wax a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 285/24.
Sa gude renoun quhilk raillarris rage reprevis Advansis moir the more invyaris wexit 16.. Maidment Balfour Ballads 22.
Whose tennons small if they be left in ground Like ill weeds soon will waxb. c1420 Wynt. viii 5944.
Welle waxyn wp that tyme he wes ?a1450 Florimond 120.
He hade twa soneis … That wax and weill begane to thryfe a1500 Seven S. 2599.
This child … wox & bure him to the best Sa meike sa sweit [etc.]

c. To grow or increase of something or in some regard. c1420 Wynt. v 217 (W).
The child … That wox of wit and vertu than c1475 Wall. vii 185.
He waknys wer, waxing off pestilence c1475 Wall. viii 681.
Thai … Wallace crowynt, quharoff the lordis was teyn, In barrate wox 1587 Cal. Sc. P. IX 476.
Sir Johnne Seytoune is waxt in greit credytie

II. With complement.

2. To become, grow (what is expressed in a complement implying growth or increase). 1375 Barb. viii 391 (C).
Vox 1375 Barb. xx 255.
The kingis infirmyte Woux mar & mar quhill at the last The dulfull dede approchit fast a1400 Leg. S. xvi 110.
Mary … vaxand syne mar hardy A bouste of precius vngument Apone his Hed … scho ȝet a1400 Leg. S. xix 244.
The farrere that he wod, The depare ay wox the flude ?1438 Alex. i 2632.
The fecht vox ay mare and mare a1500 Prestis of Peblis 205 (A).
He … wox so full of warldis welth and wyn a1500 Seven S. 2440.
He wox blythar 1513 Doug. xii v 2.
This ilk commonyng Thus walxand [Ruddim. waxand] mar and mar ?1613 W. Alexander Doomes-day iv 827 (G, H).
Her sonne whose victuals did when waste] waxe more [J. grow more]

3. To turn, become (what is expressed in the complement). a. With adj. complement. Also proverb.pres. a1400 Leg. S. xxix 23.
His tetht waxis ȝalou ?1438 Alex. ii 5019.
Graues, that gray war, waxis grene a1500 Henr. Orph. 518.
Oure complexion Waxis quiete in contemplacion a1500 Henr. Age & Yowth 61.
Thy corpis sall clyng, thi curage sall vax cald c1515 Asl. MS I 156/17.
Than the streme … of Elesponte … besyd Grece … he waxis narow c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 64/9.
So as the ta lufe waxis auld, The tothir dois incres moir kene c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark i 25.
And Jesus thretnyt … him, and said, ‘Wax dombe’ a1568 Bann. MS 135b/61.
A bow that is lang bent It will wax dull 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 58.
Quhen scho suld anis waxe werie of him 1588 King Cat. 171.
Mak for ȝour selfs baggis, quhilk neuer waxes auld, ane treasur quhilk neuer faillies(b) 1513 Doug. iii viii 29.
The dawyng gan at morn walx red 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 151.
Maist amyabill walxis the amerant medis(c) 1513 Doug. vii i 1.
Tho gan the sey of bemys walxin red 1513 Doug. xi v 13.
The hevynnys hye dyd walxin dirk(d) 1513 Doug. viii vi 34.
The elde syne war and war Begouth to wolx(e) 1611 Melvill Dream in Fugitive Poetry II ii 17/3.
Which maks the dayes & nights to wex just evinproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 476.
Ill weids waxes weillp.t. 1375 Barb. ii 364.
The gres woux off the blud all rede(b) 1375 Barb. x 191.
Cornys … Wox [C. Woxe] ryp a1400 Leg. S. xxxii 631.
In science he wox parfyt a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii 198.
Thai that dang hyme wery ware, & thar aynd for werynes Thame falȝeit, & wox ay les ?1438 Alex. i 2042.
He woxe thairat … all tene ?a1450 Florimond 125.
Thay wox and worth bayth fair and wicht 1460 Hay Alex. 1281.
The nycht ourpassit, the morning woxe cleir c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 12/27.
The sone that wox all paill now schynis bricht 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii 327.
Then wox the lawers wyfe richt proud in hart a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii 188.
Vox(c) 1513 Doug. ii vi 3.
In seyr placis … The murmur rays ay mair and mair I wys, And clerar wolx the rumour and the dyne 1513 Doug. iii ii 152.
Herbis wolx dry, … and gan to faid(d) a1540 Freiris Berw. 420 (B).
Thay woix richt blyth(e) 1375 Barb. x 302 (C).
He wex [E. wox] so wis a1400 Leg. S. xl 461.
Al thai schrawis … Wex woud(f) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2252.
The oxin waxit mair reulie at the last c1552 Lynd. Mon. 156.
Synthea, the hornit nychtis quene … in his presens waxit dirk and paill 15.. Clar. iii 334.
On the morne, be the day waxit licht, He ischit furth a1578 Pitsc. I 111/13.
He waxit irefull c1650 Spalding I 224.
Haueing red … the samen, his majestie waxt wroth thair with and becam impatient(g) a1500 Quare Jel. 98.
Hir coloure … wexit pale c1590 J. Stewart 249 § 198.
His members all vith agonie of deathe Than vexit stifp.p. 1513 Doug. xiii iii 115.
The huge slauchtir and myschews wrake And all the fludis walxyn red or brovn(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 175 (Ch. & M.).
His lwme is vaxit larbar 1533 Gau 109/15.
The hart of this pepil is vaxit gros(c) a1568 Bann. MS 234a/19.
My rosy lippis ar woxin paill

b. With p.p. complement. 1375 Barb. viii 476.
Thai saw Thaim … Cum apon thaim sa hardely. Thai woux abaysit a1400 Leg. S. ii 300.
Quhene Nero this herd had, he wex sone abaysit 1513 Doug. ii x 2.
Astonyst I wolx 1513 Doug. iii viii 6.
Down gois the son … and hillis … Wolx dyrknyt 1534 Melville Chart. 71.
And thane Pettedy woux crabbit 15.. Clar. iii 123.
Bathit in teiris wox hir bricht visage

c. With noun complement. a1400 Leg. S. xxx 574.
Art thu Sic a lychure waxine now a1500 Prestis of Peblis 196 (A).
He wox a ground riche man a1500 Bk. Chess 1479.
He weddit hir and wox a man of micht c1500 Fyve Bestes 159.
Sone efter this bird wox a cok 1513 Doug. vii xi 92.
Ceculus … Our landwart bestis syne wolx lord and kyng

4. To become pregnant, const. with child, full. a1500 Henr. Annunc. 23.
That gay … Wox in hir chaumer chaist with child 1492 Myll Spect. 285/1.
This evill … nurys … maid hir to be laid in the bed of … hir fader … with quhom he conversit sa that scho wox with child c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Cor. vii 36.
Gif ony man gessis him self to be seen foule on his virgin, that sche is full waxin … scho synnis nocht gif scho be weddit