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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.

We, Wey, n., adj. Also: wei, wee, wie, wy. [North. ME wei, wey (Cursor M.), cf. e.m.E. wee (Shakespeare), Anglian wéȝ, wéȝe a weight or amount.]

A. noun.Chiefly in adverbial use, in collocation with Litil(l adj.There is considerable overlap between the senses.

1. (To) a small extent, a little, once, with omission of the adjective.(1) 1375 Barb. vii 182.
‘May I traist in thé me to waik Till ik a litill sleping tak' … The king then wynkyt a litill wey [: drey, C. we (: dre)] And slepyt nocht full encrely Bot gliffnyt wp oft sodanly … he slepyt as foule on twyst a1400 Leg. S. xviii 274.
Rycht thane, as vyse & sle He bethoucht hyme a lytil we That scho mycht neuir his nam kene c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2968.
Vlixes … With drawand woce a litill we, Richt fast falȝeand in-to strenth … all waikly Spered 1460 Hay Alex. 1065.
The king smirkit ane litill wee c1475 Wall. ix 140.
Crawfurd leit draw the saill a litill we a1500 Prestis of Peblis 581.
Than quod the king a lytill wei and leuch, ‘Sir fuill [etc.]’ 1513 Doug. i ix 61.
Dido, astonyst a litill wie At the first syght [etc.] 1513 Doug. vii viii 70.
With a burdon … The poynt scharpit and brynt a litill we 1535 Stewart 24288.
The cloude ane lytill we Discouerit wes, that tha micht better se 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7599.
Thairon [sc. a knife] scho straik hir hand a litill we Amaist ane drop of blude that ȝe micht se(b) 1460 Hay Alex. 3799.
Wy(2) 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xl 317.
He [sc. Knox] wald not wane any wy for na mannis will For to rebuke erle, barrone or burges

b. A small quantity. a1400 Leg. S. xix 605.
The kinge tuk than a lytil we Of the fresche blude, & vet his ee

2. A small amount, a short distance. 1375 Barb. xiii 217 (C).
The Scottis archeris alsua Schot emang thame so sturdely … That thai vayndist a litell we 1375 Barb. xvii 677 (C).
Behynd hir a litill we It fell c1420 Wynt. viii 5788.
We sal fenȝhe ws as we walde fle, And withe draw us a litil we

3. (For) a short time or moment, once, with omission of the adjective.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xvi 449.
Quhene he … wist that [in] a lytil we For falt of met the barne suld de 1460 Hay Alex. 15138.
And bad him bide a litill tyme quhill sche Had bene at hir closit a litill we a1500 Prestis of Peblis 817.
Ane lytill wie befoir the feist of Ȝule 1535 Stewart 17834.
Heir will I leif of him ane litill we, And of sic talk I will hald me still 1535 Stewart 42808.
Syne king Malcolme efter ane lytill we, … Proclamit hes [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4779.
Scho was wyteles a lytill we Wantones had the wyte(2) a1605 Montg. Misc. P. lvi 2.
Stay, passinger, thy mynd, thy futt, thy ee: Vouchsaif, a we, his epitaph to vieu, Quha [etc.]

B. adj.In collocation with Litil(l adj.: (Very) small. Also a little wee thing, a (very) small amount.(1) c1450-2 Howlat 649 (A).
The litill we wran 15.. Wyf Awcht. 87 (K).
And sho set quicklie vp into a litle wie low(2) 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 459.
The Lord will be content with a little wee thing, and of so small a thing He will make great 1652 Peebles Gleanings 274.
I know ye ar neidfull of money at this tyme, and I have a little wie thing lying besyde me