Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quhap(e, Quhaip(e, n. Also: quhawpe, quhawip, whap(e, whaap. [Perh. for *whalp, *hwalp, related to OE hwilpe a kind of sea-bird, of doubtful origin, but perh., SND conjectures, ‘imit. of its cry and cognate with whelp (Quhelp(e n. 1), a puppy, sc. ‘the yelper, the whiner’’ (SND, s.v. Whaup n.¹). Cf. LG -wilp, -wölp, WFris. (greate) wylp, Du. wulp, wilp a curlew (MDu. welp(e, wulp(e, wolp(e a cub or puppy).Also in the later north. Eng. and north. Ir. dials.] A curlew.Also, as a nickname for a person.(1) 1512 Facs. Nat. MSS III x.
Coft ij quhaipis 1512 Household Bk. Jas. IV 7a.
Quhaippis 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. fol. 20a.
Thowis nebbit lyk ane quhaipe & schankit lyk a ka 1642 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 17.(b) 1538 Edinb. B. Rec. II 92.
A quhap that is greitt xij d. … a littill quhape vj d. [etc.] 1541 Reg. Cupar A. II 13.
Quhape [etc.] … schotquhaip … and all vther sic small fowlis 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III 84. 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI 23 Aug.(c) 1550 Reg. Privy C. I 95.
Quhawip [1551 Acts II 484/1: quhaip] 1565 Edinb. B. Rec. III 210.
The greit quhawpe(d) 1633 (1711) Sibbald's Orkn. & Shetl. 23.
As doves, whapes, plivers [etc.] 1668 Edinb. B. Rec. X 52.
The whap, 5.O 1683 Coll. Aberd. & B. 100.
The whap also uses to be eaten Ib. (see Kittiwake n.). 16.. Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. III 250.
Whaps(e) c1650-1700 Descr. Zetland 89.
It is … very plentiful of all wild fowl, as wild goose, … whaap [etc.](2) 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 588.
Adame Anyslie callit Adie the Quhaip 1576 Ib. II 570.
Adam Anyslie, callit the Quhaip in Fawlay