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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.

Wapyn, -in, n. Also: wapp-, vap(p)-, waup-, vaup-, wawp-, walp, valp-, waip(p)-, wayp-, waep-, wep-, weap-, veap-, weip- and -o(u)n(e, -ing, -ine, -en, wapyin, wapinyn, waffyne, wapne. Pl. also wapnis, vapnys. [ME and e.m.E. wepne pl. (c1175), wæpenn (Orm), wapen (Layamon), wopen (c1250), wepene (Chaucer), wepyn (Trevisa), weapon (1559), OE wǽepen, MLG wâpen, ON vápn.]

1. A weapon. Chiefly pl. in collocation with arms, armyng, etc. or with a list of the weapons referred to. Also coll.Also fig.pl. 1375 Barb. v 393.
All the gudis turssyt thai That thaim thocht thai mycht haiff away, … namly wapnys [C. vapnys] & armyng Siluer and tresour and clethyng c1420 Wynt. i 654.
Thai ma noucht weylde, Thair wapnys [E. wapinnis, W. wappinnis] for febyll heylde 1456 Hay I 142/31.
To repell and gayn stand force be force of armes and wapnis 1513 Doug. iii iv 52 (Sm.) (see (b) below).
Wapnis(b) 1375 Barb. xi 76.
Wapynnys & armowris purwayit thai & all that afferis to fechting a1400 Leg. S. xvii 76.
Thai slew the fellone beste … With spere, & swerde, & caste of stane, & mony vthire vapynis ane 1471–2 Acta Aud. 20/2.
[Sixty] personys … with bowis & vther fensable wapins on hors & fute a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 820.
Wirk as I wise, your vappins to weild 1513 Doug. iii iv 52.
Our feris command … [to] Tak thar wapynnys [Sm. wapnis], and bargane … Agane the cruell pepill 1522 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 64.
All man to be abulȝeit with jak, sper or lanch and fensable wappinnis 1533 Boece 81b.
Ȝong men … suld be exercit and be hantit with wapynnys and armour 1533 Bell. Livy I 90/25.
Two hirdis … quhilkis war … vsit to fecht mare with landwert staffis and axis than ony marciall wappynnys of armour 1533 Bell. Livy I 94/19.
Thare wapynnys to invaid thare inemyis war ordanit to be lancis, dartis and swerdis 1543 Crawford Mun. Invent. I 88 15 Oct.
With gunnis … and vtheris wapynnis 1543 Reg. Cupar A. II 25.
The said Andro salhaue ane gude hors with hernes, wapynnis, and gair efferring to his maling, for to … mak seruice to the Abbot 1568 Maxwell Mem. II 130.
Vapineis 1598 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 280.
Anent the making and mending … all uther yrne wapinis 1646 Stewart Mem. 133.
Tua sufficient sowldieris weill airmit in wapines c1650 Spalding I 116.
In peciabill maner, not with forbiddin wapins, as hagbutis, pistollis, and suche lyke(c) ?1438 Alex. i 2530.
With wapons staluart of steill, Thay dang on vther with all thair micht 1519 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 190.
At na maner persouns except the officeris beir wapponis on the gaitt fra viij houris furth at evin 1566 Digest Justiciary Proc. F. 11.
Fyve hundreth men … withe … vapones invasiue … entering … within thair maiesties paillec of Halirudhous(d) 1483–4 Aberd. B. Rec. I 40.
That all nichtburis … haf thare wauppinis and armis, swerdis, axis, cellattis and vthir fenssable geer, redy besyde thaim 1484 Aberd. B. Rec. I 40.
Wauppynis(e) 1500 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 86.
Convict … vpoun the disprysing of William Todrig … invadand him with cruell wawpouns 1584 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 345.
The nychtbouris … to haif all lang wawpuns as speir or pik(f) 1511–12 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 16.
Wappenis(g) 1528 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 3.
At nane beir wappouns in the tyme of the said fair 1538 Treas. Acc. VI 446.
For dychting of suerdis, rapperis, harnessing, steill sadillis, Jedburght stavis, and utheris wapounis to the kingis grace 1600 State P. (Reg. H.) 108/9.
Gif … they saw the said Maister Allexander … convoy the king hes allane without ony vapounes(h) 1533 Bell. Livy II 71/14.
He fand grete provisioun of wapynnys [B. wappingnis] and armouris 1533 Bell. Livy I 179/28.
The oratouris of Latynis desirit the Romanis … to suffir thame [to] tak wapynnys [B. wapingis] for defence of thare awne landis(i) 1535 Stewart 8022.
So worthelie thair wapyins thai did weild, That [etc.](j) 1552 Crim. Trials I i 362.
That thay have long valpynnis … sic as hand-ex, Jedburgh-staif … jawalyng, and siclyk lang walpynnis(k) 1555 Treas. Acc. X 282.
Wapinynis(l) a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 332/41.
Thai haue na waippynnis worthe for weir 1596 Dalr. I 92/16.
Waiponis 1596 Dalr. I 181/7.
Sum of the nobilitie he invades with waypounis, vthir sum he corruptes with gyftes 1596 Dalr. II 258/28.
His peple willinglie had … castne frome thame thair waipounes all 1625 Bentinck Dornoch 191.
Gunes, pistolattis and swordis and uteres waipenes invasive(m) a1578 Pitsc. II 14/26.
xxv^c speir men veill areyit on horsbak in Scotis harnes and veaponis 1596 Dalr. I 273/27.
First his nobilis, sair discouraget, he vpsteiris to take weapounis 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 17.
Accompanied with ane hundreth horsemen and above, by footemen armed with suords, pistolls hagbuts, and vthers weapons invasive 1672 Justiciary Rec. II 85.
Swords, durks and other invasive weapons(n) 1596 Dalr. I 145/17.
That ȝoung men soulde vse for waepinis a slung with a bowsing. 1375 Barb. v 596.
Quhat wapyn [C. vappyn] has thow … Ik haiff bot a bow & a wyr 1460 Hay Alex. 1628.
He … haid no wappin bot ane sworde of steill c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 340.
The stound, as of a stele wappin 1535 Stewart 32362.
Ilk cheild, That worthie wes ane wapone for to weild 1549 Compl. 28/19.
The father takkis the vand or the scurge to puneise his sonne … bot ȝit gyf his sonne rebellis contrar the correctione of the vand than the father takkis ane batton or sum vthir sterk vappin to puneise his sonne & forȝettis fatherly discipline ande vsis rigorus extreme punitione 1570 Sat. P. xviii 6.
O waryit hand! O wappin violent! That spairit not his greit nobilitie 1596 Dalr. I 133/25.
Ferithar receiuet the kingis waipone, to wit, a naikit sworde 1614 Inverness Rec. II 127.
Gif ane person presume to drawe vapoun to the magistrat, to amit and tyne his libertie for ever, and to pay ane vnlaw of j^ccs libs. 1658 Rothesay B. Rec. 18.
Complaint anent the pursute of the foirsaid William and James withe a drawne veapone for thair lyffes(b) ?1438 Alex. i 1021.
Philot, with ane grete waffyne, Smot … Coruyne(c) 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas iii 389.
The cursed blaide … in her breast vnto the hilts she strak … The wepon … Maide open passage to the gushing flood(d) 1638 Fugitive Poetry II x 5/16.
No weipen shall be there, neither speir nor sheildproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 10.
Ane wicht [man want]ed never a waponecoll. ?1438 Alex. i 1083.
For better na thow may spend na speir Na into battell wapin beir c1420 Wynt. viii 2005.
Wyth fyre and wappyn [C. wepyn, W. wappinis] he dystrwyd 1456 Hay I 64/4.
Cesar brocht with him nouthir wapyn na armuris na othir defence bot in his semat 1460 Hay Alex. 2641.
With wapon suld he neuir be slane 1513 Doug. xi xii 102.
Thocht he nakyt was and voyd of geir, Na wond nor wapyn mycht hym anys effer 1596 Dalr. II 102/25.
Sa honorable he was in armes … sa cannilie could handle al kynd of wapne 1596 Dalr. II 363/17.
Thair myndes war sa in ydleset and close fra weir and wapounefig. c1520-c1535 Nisbet III 352.
Anne exhortatiounn to the spirituall battell, ande quhat wappynnes Christin men suld feigth with all 1551 Hamilton Cat. 188.
With thir spiritual wepins [sc. fasting, study of scripture, etc.], we suld mortifie the concupiscence of our flesche 15.. Dum Wyf 125.
Quhat euer hir happin hir toung is hir wapin 1562-3 Winȝet II 6/11.
A litle, partie, handsum instrument that may suffice ws in tyme of neid, bayth for a waippin and a werklume, for a speir or a spade [etc.]

b. A representation of a weapon. 1549 Compl. 69/8.
There vas mony precius stanis, quhar in ther vas grauit scheildis, speyris … ande al vthir sortis of vaupynis ande munitions of veyr

c. comb.With Makar n. 1. 1317 Aberd. B. Rec. (SHS) 17.
Ricardus Rere secundo citatus contra Petrum armurer … Ricardus Rer tercio citatus contra Petrum wapinmaker

2. transf.(Part of) an animal used to attack or defend. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1975.
Mak ane suddand schow vpon ane scheip, Syne with thy wappinnis [sc. teeth] wirrie him to deid