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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.

Wed, Wod, Wad, v. Also: wede, wedde, ved, weid, weed, veid, vod, woid, vad, wade. P.p. also wed. [ME and e.m.E. weddenn (Orm), wedde(n (Layamon), wede(n (1297), weede (1485), wed (a1533), OE weddian, MLG wedden, ON vedja; Wed n.] tr.

I. 1. To marry (a woman, also (a) wif (spous)), to take (a woman) till (one's) wif.(a) 1375 Barb. xvii 28 (C).
The marschall, quhais cosyne He had weddit on-till his viff a1400 Leg. S. x 315.
Yrtacus … ȝarnite … The kingis dowchtir for to wed a1400 Leg. S. x 375.
Nocht for that he vedit wyf, … Bot, for he mystuk for to wed His lordis wyfe a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii 549.
Wede c1420 Wynt. vii 617.
Till wyff he weddyt … dame Sybille c1420 Wynt. ix 3094.
His sistir and his he and he Had weddit a1500 Henr. Orph. 77.
The mychti quene of Trace … Ane message send vnto this prince … Requyrand him to wed hir a1500 Henr. Bludy Serk 106.
The lady was wowd, bot scho said nay, With men that wald hir wed a1500 Seven S. 2415.
Quhen I mak my wedding band I will resaif hir of ȝour hand Syne with worschip hir wed will I c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 530.
Of thir thre wantoun wiffis … Quhilk wald ȝe waill to ȝour wif, gif ȝe suld wed one? 1533 Gau 57/2.
He quhilk hes weddit ane spous is ane bridgrowme 1535 Stewart 20650.
He weddit hir at kirkdur with ane ring 15.. Clar. iii 1875.
Palexis, ȝe sall Cadar wed, Whom ȝe have handfast 15.. Bk. Dean Lismore 48.
Quhat alyt ye man to ved a vyf Cowd ȝou nocht find … A heltyr for to hang ye vitht(b) 1535 Stewart 42068.
Henrie … Woddit ane wyfe … and brocht hir hame c1600 Medical Recipes 93.
Quho so voddis a vif in ony of this dais hostile they s[albe] pertit or ellis thay sall leif togiddir with mekill sorrow(c) 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proclam. 47.
To wad ony vder wyfe c1554 Makeson Genesis 169.
Circumcitione he vald first resawe Or that he vaddit thair sistyr(d) c1600 Medical Recipes 88.
[In Virgo] it is nocht guid to weid ane maid … bot it is guid to veid ane vedow

b. specif.To marry by proxy. 15.. Clar. i 359.
Sir Leonet hir weddet with ane ring In the name only of his prince 1657 Balfour Ann. I 76.
He sent ambassadors … to France, ther to weed him a wyffe; quho brought with them … a beutifull and comiley ladey

c. Applied to a woman marrying a man. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9709.
Scho … with auise of his counsall did wed Lodwik hir lufe

d. absol.or intr.To marry, to undergo marriage. Also proverb. a1500 Seven S. 2467.
The knycht gart cleth hir in his clathis Adornit as scho wald go to wed And sa furth to the kirk hir led c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark xii 25.
For quhen thai sal rise agane fra deid, nouthir thai sal wedde, nore be weddit c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxiv 38.
As in the dais before the gret flude thai war etand and drinkand, weddand and takand to weddingproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 114.
A man may wooe where he will, but hee will wed where his hap is a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1669.
Wow over mure, bot wed over middin

2. passive.To be married, to undergo or be in the state of matrimony. Also const. with, (on) to a spouse. Also proverb.(1) 1375 Barb. xx 69.
He gert wele for the mangery Ordane quhen that his sone Dawy Suld weddyt be a1400 Leg. S. v 225.
A ȝounge man … that … Thretty dais had veddit bene a1500 Henr. Orph. 86.
Orpheus and … Erudices, Fra thai war weddit [etc.] c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xix 10.
Gif the cause of a man with a wife is sa, it spedis nocht to be wedditproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1248.
Prove thy spouse or tho be weid(2) a1400 Leg. S. ii 821.
He as wyff wald wedit be Wmquhill to man, and … Tak hym a man in sted of wyff c1420 Wynt. iv 1774.
The Peychyts askyd the Scottis then Weddyt to be wyth thaire wemen c1420 Wynt. vii 586.
Dame Mald … Now weddyd wyth oure kyng c1515 Asl. MS I 202/22.
Mald that was weddit to the empriour of Almanȝe 1500–1 Acta Conc. II 495.
The sade Wilyeam being weddit with the dochter of the sade [blank] Tuledeff 1513 Doug. iii v 28.
Andromacha wes wed agane Onto ane other husband c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1572.
He … for hir saik … Wald neuer be weddit to ane wyfe 15.. Clar. i 397.
I am content That waddit beine ȝour sister with the king Of Spainȝie 15.. Clar. iv 1583.
How to Meliades … He sould be waddit

b. transf. or fig.To be closely attached to (a person, opinion). 1662 Reg. Privy C. I 225.
The heir … is of so tender age … and so wedded and broudned upon her … that to take her away out of her custody would … be the losse and death of the child 1668 Maxwell Mem. II 314.
Lett it newer be sayd that you … will be so wadded to your own opinion as to suffer yoursilf to be rancked amongst … rebelles

c. fig.Of non-material things: To be united. ?1438 Alex. ii 5713.
The nobill renounit jorne That wirship weddit [F. mariée] beis at richt In blude and harnes

3. To arrange for, cause the marriage of a daughter or son. Also const. upon the marriage partner. Also absol. a1400 Leg. S. vi 47.
The kinge … his douchter vedit had & fore that cause a gret feste mad a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 105.
His heldast douchtyre … He wedyt wele 15.. Clar. iv 1917.
Our brother of Ingland Hes for his doughter sent … desyrand To have hir waddit at hir hame cuming 15.. Clar. v 2845.
Romaryn he wadit honorabillie Upon ane countabsol. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 325 (A).
Ȝe for gold and gud baith wed & wage; Ȝe sell ȝour sonnis and aris mariage To carllis of kynd and bot for thar riches

II. 4. To wager, stake (something). Freq. with clause object. Also const. on an outcome or with a person. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 814 (Ch.).
Ile wod my lyfe [B. I trow full weill], ȝon same is he 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4032 (B).
It will hurt bettir, I wad [Ch. woid] ane plak, Richt now quhen ȝe hing on a knag 15.. Christis Kirk 104 (M).
Than Lowrie … sone ane flane culd fedder, He hecht to pers him at the pape Thairon to wed ane wedder 1560 Peebles B. Rec. I 262.
James weddit ane tar barrale that the quene grace of Yngland suld mary the king of Swane … Stene Robesone weddit ten merkis of money aganes the said tar barrell that scho suld nocht mary the said king of Swane a1568 Bann. MS 159a/20.
Quod sche This wage I win cleir … Godis sawle sayis he … I will nevir wod with that woman agane 1572 Sat. P. xxxi 134.
I wed my heid that thai sal tone thame a1605 Montg. Sonn. xlvi 8.
Shute on; lat sie vho first my wedfie w[ins]; For I will wed ane apple and a nute 1657 R. Moray Lett. 62.
So fall I to you I'll wad fourty shilling I gar your dowpe dirle 1659-60 A. Hay Diary 223.
That the wholl word of God's law … is a sure abyding thing and cannot be altered. 4 meditations from the point. 1. [etc.] … 2. That its not saff to wad on ourselfes 1667–70 Lauder Jrnl. 187.
Some tells that he suddenly was goon to Edenb. … I'll wad, sayd he againe, its to cast doun Restalrig castle 1674 Ravillac Redivivus (1678) 21.
Being questioned … there anent I answered [etc.] … where he stopped me saying, I wade you are come here to give a testimony