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.
Quotation dates: 1678-1679
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Willy-wisp, n. [17th c. Eng. will with the wispe (1608), Willy wispe (1628), will of the wisp (1661), will-a-wisp (1679).] An unreliable or untrustworthy person. — a1679 J. Gordon The Reformed Bishop 250.
His gracious majesty … would haue chosin rather to haue sent down some English doctors to haue govern'd us … than haue permitted any of those willy-wisps to pimp into these empty chairs
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"Willy-wisp n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/willy_wisp>
