A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Wal(l)ow, v.1 Also: vallow, wallu, waloy, wallat. [ME welu (Cursor M.), weolewen (a1310), welewen (Wyclif), OE wealwian.] intr.a. Of plants: To wither (away), fade, fail to flourish. Also in fig.context.a1500 Henr. Fab. 1833.
The woddis grene wer wallowit with the weit 1513 Doug. iii ii 152.
Herbis wolx dry, wallowyng, and gan to faid 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 64 (Sm.).
Herbis, flouris, and gersis wallowit away c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark iv 6.
Vther [sc. seed] fell on stany places … and anon it sprang vp … and quhen the sonn raase vp it wallowit [W. welwide, P. welewide] for heete and it driet vp 1533 Boece 245b.
The treis wallowit baith in leiffis and branchis a1538 Abell 69a.
The flowris and medois at wallowit before beguth to floris 1535 Stewart 16756.
Ay fra that woddir wallow or sklyng Ȝit fra the rute small wandis will vpspring 1567 G. Ball. 95.
Lyke the widderit hay sune sall they faid And as the gers that wallowis rute and blaid 1570 Sat. P. xv 24.
In earth, ȝe sweit-flouris, tak na rute, But wallow altogidder! 1649-71 Lamont Diary 45.
The blowms of the pease wallowed a fourtnight before Lammisfig. c1679 Kirkton Hist. 269.
After that day his flower begane to wallow 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 505.
Your palms of triumph shall not wallow in your hands
b. transf.Of persons or their attributes: To dry up, wither, waste away. Freq. const. as a (the) wed(e (= weed).(a) c1420 Wynt. i Prol. 123.
To this my wyt is walowide dry But floure or froyte c1460 Thewis Gud Women 94.
Schame is to-day be quhit & red, And one the morne waloyt [Gud Wyf & D. vallowit] as a wed a1500 Henr. Orph. 350.
Erudices … Rycht warsch and wan and walowit [Bann. walluid] as the wede a1500 Henr. Age & Yowth 13 (Makc.).
I … saw ane catyf … cumand … walowit & wane c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 147/25.
Hir hew was wan and wallowed as the leid c1520-c1535 Nisbet St. James i 11.
The sonn raase vp … and dryit the gerse … and sa a riche man wallowis [W., P. welewith] in his wayis a1568 Bann. MS 226a/22.
Sen scho wrocht wreth … I wallow as the weid a1570-86 Maitl. F. 206/12.
The flouris of my flesche ȝouthheid … away is went And wallowit as the winter weid(b) 1669 Laing MSS 374.
Sinc his last amours I dait the decay of our frindship … min for him contineud half a year longer and did not wallat or decay till [etc.]
