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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.

WANREST, n., adj., v. Also ‡wunrest.

I. n. 1. Unrest, a state of inquietude or trouble (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Cai. 1905 E.D.D.; Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); ‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., 32, wunrest; Sh. 1973). Phr. to be tane at a wanrest, in 1810 quot. seems to be a mistake for Wanlas, q.v.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 40:
Quo she, ‘I wiss I could your wanrest ken. 'Tis may be 'cause ye canna ly your lane.'Mry. 1810 J. Cock Simple Strains 62:
Good nature whiles may be abus'd, An' at a wanrest taen.wm.Sc. 1866 R. W. Buchanan London Poems (1883) 228:
Turn'd from the happy shining of the sun, In wanrest and in tears.Sc. 1936 J. G. Horne Flooer o' the Ling 45:
Wanrest o' the soul Nae human breist For lang can thole.Sh. 1952 J. Hunter Taen wi da Trow 32:
Wi robbin here an burnin dere, Dere wis wan-rest troo aa da laand.

Derivs.: (1) wanrestfu, ¶-fih, restless, unsettled (Sc. 1808 Jam.; s.Sc. 1873 D.S.C.S. 131; Ayr. 1923 Wilson D. Burns 193); (2) wanrestie, -y, id. (Cai. 1905 E.D.D.; s.Sc. 1904 W. W. Smith New Test. John xii. 27; ‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., 31; Sh. 1973).(1) Ayr. 1783 Burns Death Poor Mailie 35–6:
An' may they never learn the gaets Of ither vile, wanrestfu' Pets!Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Eliz. de Bruce II. v.:
For my ain part I have no thought o' changing my cozie quarters. I ne'er was wanrestfu'.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin iv.:
There was the loon that had made the puir wean sae wanrestfu'.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 255:
Wanrestfu' and troubled, she couldna sit still.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 11:
Ma collar lay roond ma craigie as wanrestfih as branks an brecham roond a yaud.Sc. 1926 H. M'Diarmid Drunk Man 10:
This wanrestfu' growth that winna let me be.

2. The pendulum of a clock. Cf. Unrest, 2.Ags. 1794 W. Anderson Piper of Peebles 13:
The house from top to bottom shook, — An' as a wanrest wagg'd the crook.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
“The wanrest of a clock gaes as far the tae gate, as it gede the tither.” Sc. Proverb signifying, that an unstable person generally goes from one extreme to another.Fif. 1844 J. Jack St Monance 92:
She had waggit back an' fore the hale day like the wanrest of a knock.

¶II. adj. Restless.Sc. 1896 Scots Mag. (April) 387:
The wanrest cushats hame return Wi' dulesome cry.

III. v. To deprive of rest, in ppl.adj. wanrestit, having slept poorly (Sh. 1973); to disquiet, to trouble, to upset.s.Sc. 1857 H. S. Riddell Psalms xlii. 5:
Why art thou casen doun, o' my saul? an' wharfor art thou wanrestet in me?