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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
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Waik, Wak(e, adj. (n.). Also: waike, vai(c)k, wayk(e, vayk, uayke, wayik, waek, vaeik, wack, waks, weik, veik, weke, weak(e. [ME and e.m.E. wac (Orm), wak(e (Layamon), woc (a1225), waik(e, weck, wek(e (all Cursor M.), wayke (c1300), weyke (Chaucer), woke (c1425), weike (1523-4), weake, weeke (both 1526), OE wác, ON veikr, MLG wêk, MDu. weec.]

A. adj. 1. Of a person or other creature: Lacking physical strength; not constitutionally robust, by nature or circumstance; feeble or debilitated by age or sickness. Also transf.Also const. in, of the aspect of the body affected and of strength, etc.(1) attrib. c1420 Wynt. v 2424 (W).
Pure folkis … Waik for eild and febilte 1456 Hay I 73/26.
Men that ware wayke men of age or of nature, feble or sekely a1500 Henr. Age & Yowth 13 (Maitl.).
Ane cative … With cheikis leyn … His ene wes houle his voce wes hais hostand Wallowit and wane and waik as ony wand 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1372.
Maist lamentabill the pereist folk to se, Sa fameist, drowkit, mait, forwrocht and waik 1527 Stirling B. Rec. I 31.
Ane aild waik man 1533 Boece 232b.
Thay distroyit Westmarland … schamefully rebuting men and wemen waik & febil 1536 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 80.
That na beggares be fund in this towne bot … thai to be impotent febill or awld and waik persouns that may nocht lawbour for thair leving 1570 Sempill in Sat. P. xii 33.
Be war … To haif ȝour waik anis wirryit with the tod 1579 Edinb. Test. VII 138.
Ane … auld waik kow that deit ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 83.
Ellan Fabill, very gude for vayk store 1612 Brechin Test. II 247.
Ane lytill vayk meir pryce vi lib. 1633 Edinb. B. Rec. VII 127.
Johnne Jamesoun waike and unabill for dischairge of the dewtye of ane serjand c1650 Spalding I 164.
Sum waik persones gat leive hame(b) 1659 A. Hay Diary 154.
Was ryding on a weak naigepredic. c1420 Wynt. iv 18.
Men … off eylde, That wayk ware wapnys for to weyld 1553–4 Reg. Privy S. IV 409/2.
Wayik 1586 St. A. Kirk S. 570.
Ony man may baptize ane barn if the barn be waik 1589 Kinnaird Farm Bk. 75b.
Ȝeild ȝow that was waik 1634 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 1 May.
Be the quhilk misgyding the said kow fell vaik and lorbor(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 105/22.
Sum thocht tham selffis stark lyk gyandis Ar nou maid waek lyk willing wandis(c) a1400 Leg. S. xvi 389.
Thu art wak & gret with barne c1590 Fowler I 123/154.
Your helthe, strenth [etc.] … Tyme waistis, makes waks, defaces 1647 J. Hope Diary (1919) 136.
Who (because he was wake … ) was baptized the nixt morningcompar. c1420 Ratis R. 1696.
The sevynt eild … worthis waikar ilke day 1456 Hay II 132/13.
Wynter begynnis … and all the vertues of mannis corps and bestis worthis waykare and feblare c1650 Spalding I 71.
The marquess, fynding him self becum waiker and waiker [etc.]transf. 1576 Crim. Trials I ii 52.
My husband is on the point of deid … and myself at ane waik point(2) 1524 Reg. Privy S. I 501/1.
Patrik … is now of grete aige, febill and waik in his persoun 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1981 (Ch.).
My father was sa waik of blude and bane That he deit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 929.
The bie that is richt waik of wing 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 10.
Scheip … ar mair vaik of nature nor man 1570 St. A. Kirk S. 344.
He was becum waik and debilitat in his bodie 1596 Montgomery Mem. 284.
The said noble lady … waik in body, maikis hir legacie 1619 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 81.
Still wayk of hir leggs that scho could not stand upone them(3) a1500 Bk. Chess 2098.
Women are waik of strenth & spreit 1535 Stewart 9570.
Thocht in my persone I be waik of pith, And lyke ane woman into lym and lith, Rycht weill I wait I haif ane mannis hart

b. Of a person's demeanour or constitution, or a particular part or attribute of the body. Also comb. as waik sichtit. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 3003.
Vlixes … febilnes of his body With brokin speche and with waik feris [etc.] 1456 Hay II 118/10.
Gif a man ware of stark complexioun and of hate nature … the nature is … of better digestioun … na in a persone that is of waykare nature or complexioun 1456 Hay II 119/30.
He that has a wayke calde stomak, he is of hevy chere 1456 Hay II 130/9.
Than suld folk … ete nocht excedandly, for the naturale hete of the stomak is than waykar na othir tymes 1494 Loutfut MS 18b.
Thai [sc. hares] haue waik sicht 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 386.
His voice was feebled and waik c1590 Fowler I 24/13.
My voyce be plaints maid waik 1596–7 Crim. Trials II 2.
Sa far as his memorie can serue him quhilk is now waik 1603 E. Melville Godlie Dreame 153.
Howbeit my flesh be waik, My spreit is strang and willing 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 251/462.
& throuch my uayke & uearie hande doth slyde my penn of leade 1672 Wemyss Corr. 115.
The malincolie I contracted … hes so affected my weak bodie as [etc.]superl. 1604 James VI Tobacco 94/18 (see 2 below).
Weakestcomb. 1647 Glasgow Trades House 251.
James Baird … knowne to be puir and become waik sichtit

2. Of things: Lacking material strength, reduced in strength or substance. Also fig., enfeebled. 1580 Reg. Privy S. VII 411/1.
The foundament of the said Alexanderis tenement … being waik cannocht be weill and sufficientlie mantenit … without proppis … under the stairis 1588 Aberd. B. Rec. II 61.
That the said Duncan haid done wrang in … braking doune of the said poirt … and maid the same waiker and thynnar nor it wes obefoir 1604 James VI Tobacco 94/16.
Euen as a strong enemie that inuades a towne or a fortresse … makes his breach and entrie at some … parts thereof which hee hath tried and found to bee weakest and least able to resist; so sickenesse doth make her … assault vpon such … parts of our bodie as are weakest and easiest to ouercome 1664 Maxwell Mem. 342.
To take out waike and craked stavesfig. 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 151/14.
All that quhilk ye grounde vpone this vaik fundament man fall(b) a1570-86 Maitl. F. 424/171.
Ȝour hous of ald oft had no heir bot ane Ȝea worne away oft tymes the warld it wenit Quhen it was wack [Maitl. Q. waik] … Oft tymes His mycht and marcie did mantenit

b. Of land: Lacking fertility. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 138.
Like lying lay of lean and weak land … while it gather sap for a better crope

c. Of (the digestibility of) food: Suitable for those with a weak stomach; plain, simple. 1456 Hay II 118/13.
Than is mare spedefull till him metis of gude pith and starkare metis … or ellis to geve him metis of wayke degestioun is than nocht spedefull a1400 Leg. S. xxiii 193.
He in sorow led his lyf … Putand a-way purpure & chare, With wak fud, gretand ay

3. Of a person, his faith, etc. a. Morally or spiritually weak or wavering, lacking certainty or spiritually open to corruption. Also comb. as waik spretit.(a) 1456 Hay I 170/17.
Peple villain and wayke in the faith 1490 Irland Mir. II 50/28.
Mony ar waik and wacilland in the faith a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1517 (Asl.).
Quhar thow art waike ask God for thi defens c1515 Asl. MS I 300/17.
In quhilk Adam and Eve manly natur fell for syn … a certane of thair sedis to saluacon eternale and a certane to dampnacoun … as Caym figur of Jowis and Abell figur of Crist … as how Caym offering waike seidis with peruersit spreit [etc.] a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 23.
Waker a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 43.
Waike walidrag, and verlot of the cairtis 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 116.
Thou seys sum person waik in spreyt, Sum hait byrnyng as ane onbridillyt hors c1520-c1535 Nisbet Prol. Rom. 341/5.
For we ar sa waik and sa vncertan, that gif it stude in us thair wald … na mann be sawit 1533 Gau 67/11.
S. Paul helpis and sterkis our vaik faith with ane guid exempil a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 118/15.
His discipulis quhilkis var vaik and imperfit 1562-3 Winȝet I 27/26.
Men … waik and frail as ȝit in this warld 1562-3 Winȝet I 61/15.
The waik membris of Christe 1567 G. Ball. 46.
Sa blind and waik was my fre will, That haitit the veritie 1587 Edinb. Test. XVIII 204a.
He is able to subdew all thingis vnto Him self nocht as corruptable … vaik and wild body … bot ane incorruptable … strang … bodie(b) 1533 Gau 100/21.
Veik 1551 Hamilton Cat. 123.
We ar all togiddir in our saule febil, weik and seik throch concupiscence and syn 1611-57 Mure Spirituall Hymne 196.
Of ire what hudge, inunding spaite, Had quenchde our of-spring weake Without Thee, Lord?comb. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9217.
I feill ȝow dispairit … And in this cace ouir waik spretit in hart

b. Intellectually weak, lacking in judgment or understanding. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 14.
Thou … ȝouth of nature indegest Vnrypit fruyte … of wit wayke and vnstable c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 149.
Of wit or lore Sen thou are wayke and feble [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. 1645 (Ch.).
Mannis saull is febill … Off vnderstanding waik and imperfite 1619 Crim. Trials III 481.
He is become verie waik of his judgement and vnderstanding 1655 Ross Pastoral Work 152.
And that they find him weake in his naturalls

c. Of the faculties of the mind: Lacking in ability, immature.(a) c1420 Ratis R. 1240.
For resone than is ȝong & wak 1490 Irland Mir. I 85/19.
For ressoune is throu the originale syne sa waik in us that [etc.] 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 596.
This Venus' court … For till discriue my cunning is to waik [L. wake] 1554 Duncan Laideus Test. 161.
Thair wit wes waik … Thai gaif the wolf the wedder for to keip 1560 Rolland Seven S. 613.
The greit ioy that in that cietie was My waik ingyne can na way weill compas c1590 Fowler II 14/8.
An scoller … of waik discretion … and litil vnderstanding 1652 Honours Scotl. 119.
In my waik jugment it wes my lords desyr … to [etc.](b) 1559 Knox VI 19.
If my weke judgment may be hearde

4. Of an army. a. Lacking in numbers or resources, below strength, hence less powerful. b. Of an army or an individual: Less courageous, resolute or strong, in the prosecution of war.a., b. 1375 Barb. viii 340 (C).
[Thai] dang on thame so hardely That in schort tyme men mycht se ly At erd ane hundreth … and mar The remanand the vaykar war [E. sa fleyit war] Than [E. That] thai begouth thame to vithdraw ?1438 Alex. i 3094.
Sa lang war thay thair fechtand That Gaderains had the wakar hand 1460 Hay Alex. 2368.
For the best of all his menȝe was With Alexander past in Armenee The waikar was his ost c1475 Wall. iv 162.
With waik power thai durst him nocht persew 1513 Doug. xi Prol. 121.
That fa is waik and impotent 1533 Bell. Livy II 46/3.
Than began the myd oist to fail and be waik 1535 Stewart 37025.
That forsie freik wes nother waik no lene At ilkane straik that da he slew ane Deyne 1596 Dalr. II 194/20.
His waik hairt and kowartnes, quha wraket … Scotland 1596 Dalr. II 215/4.
Quhilk … waik throuch feir ouer flietlie stude abak 1596 Dalr. II 287/7.
With a waik power sa stout and sa gret an armie he had put to flicht a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 45.
In end thair partie grew waiker, whareby the erle was tayne preasoner a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 60.
To mak waik all the partie that he mycht hurt favoring the Queyne of Scotland c1650 Spalding II 280.
The wod of Fyvie, a place very advantageous for him against sic a puissant army … he being the waiker in wanting of Alexander M^cDonald with his Irishis 1650 Nicoll Diary 25.
The Englische generall, taking this very grevouslie, that such a waik hous sould hald out aganes him

c. Of a court: Lacking or reduced in numbers. 1410–11 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 31.
That the court was waik that day and mony of the grit baronis war absent 1429–30 Acts II 19/2.
Gif … the court be wayke & nocht sufficiande 1466 Newburgh B. Ct. 19a.
The balȝeis … said that the curt wes wak 1471 Acta Aud. 13/2.
Because ther is diuerse of the lordis auditouris allegit be bathe the partijs to be suspect to thaim, & the remanent is to wayke to determyne the said materis 1534–5 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 432.
The nomer of the lordis of sessioun wes sum thing waik and divers of thame wes absent

d. Lacking or deficient of, in some asset. 1505 Prestwick B. Rec. 38.
The toune is wayk of fre man 1649 Glasgow Burgesses 128.
When his umquhile master becum waik in meanis

5. Of persons or the circumstances in which they find themselves: Lacking power or authority; indicative of powerlessness. Also proverb. 14.. Acts I 12/2.
Of the kyngis proteccioun to pur folk and waik c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 148.
Quhare a persone has tofore knawing Off it that is to fall[en] … fortune is bot wayke in suich a thing c1475 Wall. v 1128.
The wemen … he sauffyt … Waik folk he put, and barnys, off that stede 1503–4 Acts II 251/1.
Impotent folk and waik folk 1533 Boece 38a.
Metelliuis quhais sons … restorit ȝoure boundis to better state quhen ȝe war at waik and febill poynt 1533 Boece 65a.
Be iniuris he regnit, … quhilkis iniuris made his … empire … waik and febill 1533 Bell. Livy II 38/6.
The strenth of every office & power begynnys to be febil and waik in the lattir parte of the ȝere 1535 Stewart 2044.
The nobill blude he brocht haill to confusioun … The waik estait that tyme ȝeid to the wawes 1570 Sat. P. xviii 47.
Thay thocht his deith wald mak thy power waik c1590 Fowler II 75/19.
He might bene the mair asseured of that estate therefter … renforsing the wakest places of the duikdome 1594 Charteris Wall. Pref. 174.
Ane stranger to leif his natiue realme … to cum till ane vncouth realm, to oppone him self against maist potent enemies … to cleif and abyde fast to the waiker part 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 326.
The Kings cause and interest is now weake … Our rising … for him may well ruin us and not raise himproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 869.
Wiles helps weak folk 1604-9 Grahame Anat. Hum. 40.
Is it not a common proverb, That wyles helps wake folke

6. Of a non-material thing: Lacking in ability to fulfil its suggested or intended function; lacking in value; unreliable. b. specif.Applied to literary effort. 1456 Hay I 73/30.
To say—for nane wate this bot he [etc.] … that is bot a wayke resoune c1520-c1535 Nisbet Rom. xiv 6 marg.
Sick waik ande begerly traditionns as tha thame selfis had knawleg affor to be of na walour 1533 Gau 32/22.
The lycht and the onderstandyng of natur is seik and waik to onderstand the faith and the warkis of God 1552 Corr. M. Lorraine 362.
I perceyve not onlie my good hart … cowldlie taken, but also under pretence of a wayke suretie to leis the certaine for the uncertaine 1596 Warrender P. (SHS) II 294.
For a vaick excuse the deputye of England did pretend a1605 Montg. Sonn. xii 5.
Can our waik breathis help Boreas to blau? 1626 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 300.
It war ane verie waik argument 1636 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 135.
We are using our weak moyen and credit for you up at our own court c1650 Spalding I 180.
And thair hopes of help waik and vncertane a1649 Drummond II 191/52.
My prayers imperfect are and weakeb. c1450-2 Howlat 37 (A).
And I haue mekle matir in meter to gloss … And waike is my eloquence c1590 Fowler I 55/196.
My style, my verse … ar owerbas and wake(b) c1590 J. Stewart 6/3.
My vaeik and friuole versis

7. Of a commodity or substance: Of reduced strength. 1566–7 Treas. Acc. XII 404.
Aucht pundis wecht of cannoun poulder of the waikest sort meit for mixing of fyreworkis 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 288.
Sumtymes he wald bid weit his mouth with a litill waike aille 1668 Rothesay B. Rec. 161.
Quhat weik aill beis sold besyde pot aill to be xvi d. the pynt

B. absol. as noun. Weak persons, in the above senses. Also compar., superl. and proverb. 1375 Barb. xvii 931 (C).
Dede, that vachis ay … waik and vorthy, Had at his worship gret invy 1456 Hay I 298/9.
Of the riche to the pure, of the mychety to wayke [etc.] c1520-c1535 Nisbet Prol. Rom. 343/17, 23.
He teachis us to deale soberly with the consciens of the waik in the faith quhilk vndirstandis nocht yit the liberte of Christ perfeitly anewtht … It is better … [to forbeir] the wayke a quhile, wntill thai waxe stravnge c1520-c1535 Nisbet Prol. Rom. 345/6.
The tradit[ionns] and doctrynne of menn quhilkis begylis the sempyll with sophestry ande learnyng … ande drawis fra Christ ande nosell them in the waik ande febill 1562-3 Winȝet I 53/33.
I … suld notht hef bene iugeit be the waik … faithles and feble a1568 Bann. MS 160a/13.
Nor ȝit the fair for thair bewty Can nocht that chairge ganestand Thocht wicht or waik wald fle away No dowt bot all mon ransone paycompar. ?1438 Alex. i 1782.
The wakar [F. febles] sone the war can haif 1456 Hay I 257/8, 9.
Oft tymes the starkare … puttis the waykar to the wer. For it is agayne nature that the waykare wan the starkare a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 896 (W).
The strang ay with wrang ay puts waiker [Wr. weaker] to the wallssuperl. ?1438 Alex. ii 4190.
Thay start on fute … The waykast had na will to ly. Thay knichtis rais, that war curagious, Hardy and stout c1490 Irland Asl. MS 62/28.
Is he that has x hors to charge and putis the charge of all on the wakest [etc.] 1535 Stewart 36388.
Was no man than restrenȝit be the lawis, Quhilk gart the waikest oft ga to the wawisproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1291.
The waikest goes to the walls