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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.

Wil(l, Wyll, adj.¹ Also: vill. [ME wille (c1220), wil (c1250), will (Cursor M.), wyl (Manning), wylle (14th c.), vill (c1440), ON villr.]

1. Lost, wandering. b. To be, ga, etc. will, to become lost, go astray. c. fig. To be, draw, ga will, to become, lead, go astray, to be erring or wrong. Chiefly applied to non-material things. d. Will of(f one's herbry, way, lost, astray. a1400 Leg. S. xxi 683.
Of it … thai cuth … fynd … na dure & as his wyf saw thai sa fure, & seand thame wil mare & mare [etc.] a1500 Rauf C. 106.
In wickit wedderis and weit walkand full willb. a1400 Leg. S. xxiii 255.
To the ȝet of the cite … approchit he & … saw [etc.] … & wenand that he had gane wil, Ane vthyre ȝet thane ȝed he til c1420 Wynt. i 179.
Than Kayin dyde bot gyve he mende Will and wawerand to be ay In dowt & dwle … In hyddlys or in opyn plase c1420 Wynt. vi 1619 (see d below).
Swa wawerand will a1500 Rauf C. 35.
In thay montanis … he wox all will c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 121/74.
It is so lang in cuming me till I dreid that it be quyt gane will 1513 Doug. i vi 49.
We are drive will By wynd and storm 1513 Doug. vii iv 15.
Quhidder ȝour navy Has errit by thar cours and far gone will 1528 Lynd. Dreme 894.
Quhen the sleuthful hird dois … sleip … Quho wyll go sers amang sic heirdis scheip … goyng wyll at large 1531 Bell. Boece I 171.
Romanis … war … gangand will and nocht knawand be quhat cuntre or partis thay micht maist esaly fle 1535 Stewart 10722.
The Romanes … Misknew the ground and also had no gyde; That causit thame rycht oft for to ga will c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 782.
Quhen thow culd not do thing, bot thair lay still And knew not quhidder for to gang richt or willc. a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 360.
Ȝoure consal is wikit & wil c1420 Wynt. iv 1961.
Welth and ryches wownt wes ay In wantones mare will to drawe Than [etc.] a1500 Colk. Sow i 24.
Latting wirschep to go will Gret laubor is to get geir 1535 Stewart 26180.
Oftymis welth garris wisdome to go will 1567 G. Ball. 92.
Thocht I wauer, or ga wyll … Na dreid of deide sall cum me tilld. c1420 Wynt. vi 1618.
Hym partyd fra hys cumpany: Than wes he will off hys herbry. Yhit nevyrtheles, swa wawerand will, Off hapnyng he come to the myll Off Fortewyot a1500 Rauf C. 73.
Ony … fallow that I heir fand Walkand will of his way

2. fig.Bewildered, perplexed, unsure. b. Will of wane, at a loss, bewildered, hopeless. Cf. Wen(e n. 3 b. There may be some confusion with Wan(e n.¹, a dwelling cf. 1 d above. c. Will of rede, see Red(e n.¹ 2 c. c1420 Wynt. vi 2455 (C).
Thai war wil qwha sulde be kynge 1456 Hay I 53/30.
Thai worth wode for dule and dises, and had sik drede that thai war will quhat to do a1500 Rauf C. 138.
Sa troublit with stormis was I neuer stad … Ȝit was I mekle willar than, Quhen I met with this man 1535 Stewart 4109.
Gillus … wes so will he wist nocht quhair to gab. 1375 Barb. i 323.
His landis … War gevyn to the Clyffurd … He wyst nocht quhat to do … Than wes he wonder will of wane 1375 Barb. ii 474.
The Bruys that mekill murnyn mais For his men that war slayne and tane And he wes als sa will off wane That he trowit in nane sekyrly 1375 Barb. vii 2.
The king towart the wod is gane Wery for-swayt & will [C. vill] of wane 1375 Barb. vii 227.
Then wes he wondre will of wayn Quhen he saw him left allane a1400 Leg. S. xviii 663.
Thu [sc. the Virgin Mary] gyf me consall wil of wane That has na helpe bot thé alane c1420 Wynt. i 1486.
Nane ane othir wndyrstude, All wyll off wane fra thine thai yhwde, Dyvysyde in to landys sere; All thus the langagys chawngyt were a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 543.
Now is my breist … Wrappit in wo, ane wretch full will of wane c1475 Wall. vi 182.
The woman than, quhilk was full will off wayne, The perell saw [etc.] 1535 Stewart 36144.
The child that la besyde the king … saw the king awa And fand his bed so bludie all begone God wait or nocht gif he wes will of wone c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 212.
That euer I kend the court I rew; Was neuer wycht so will of wane 1604-31 Craig v 5 (see Wen(e n. 3 b).
Through the wood as I went, halfe will of waine

3. absol.as noun. A lost or wandering person. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 145.
A child, Till angell glore, till synnar saluatour … Till blind the sycht, to will a herbr[i]our