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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(e, Weid, n.¹ Also: ved, weide, veid, ueide, weyd, weed, (waith, wod) Pl. also weddis, weiddes, widis. [ME and e.m.E. wæde (Orm), weden pl. (Layamon), weaden pl. (a1225), wede (c1250), weed (1557), OE wǽd fem., wǽde str. neut., ON vað, voð. Also in the later dial. (SND, s.v. Waith n.²).]

1. coll. sing. Garb, dress, apparel.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xliv 53.
Agatha … Schrud in schenand wed c1420 Wynt. iv 1570.
Off [the] threllys … He made knychtis … And thaim arayid in honest wede [C. weide] And armwrys that halowyd ware To goddys … Thai tuk … And in thai gert thame armyd be(b) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2513.
He put him … of his awne clething And cled him in-to sempile weid a1500 Henr. Fab. 2495.
The doggis skyn off he flew, And on the scheip rycht softlie couth it sew Than worth the wedder wantoun off his weid c1475 Wall. iii 80.
We will nocht … change no weid, bot our ilk dayis ger 1513 Doug. v iv 35.
Al his weid sowpyt with seys 1535 Stewart 3030.
The quantitie and fassoun of thair weid 1535 Stewart 16023.
With feinȝeit weid he passit in Pechtland 1535 Stewart 43826.
In vyle habit … With spaid in hand [etc.] … Tha thocht no ill to wirk and weir sic weid 1585 Perth B. Ct. 15 June.
To cum to the stule of repentence in the samin veid and confes his offence 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 191/724.
Thay … quhose soft & souple ueide Declaires 16… Bk. Dunvegan 197.
Silk for weid and petticoat 16… Sempill P. 44/80.
On Sabbath days his cap was fedder'd, A seemly weid(c) a1500 Sir Eger 252.
In scarlet she was clad, And all the weed that she on had, In red gold could it birn(d) 1603 Philotus 87.
Ane ground-riche man and full of graith He wantis na jewels claith nor waith

b. pl. Clothes.(a) 1375 Barb. xiii 30.
Mony rich and reale wedis Defoullyt foully wnder fete 1456 Hay I 294/1.
The first birth aw nocht to were wedis that the tothir brethir mycht nocht lefully bere a1500 Rauf C. 560.
My weidis ar auld, and all to-worne c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 369 (M).
He graythit me in … gownis of ingranit clayth … but I full craftelie did keip thai courtlie weidis 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 303.
I irkyt of my bed … Bot gan me … in my wedis dres 15.. Clar. iv 1649.
Weiddes 1568 Edinb. B. Rec. III 255.
That all personis sic as sellis weddis be dischargit, and in speciall sic as sellis wollin and lynning 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv Pref. 6.
God forwairns you, be the weidis they weir, To ken the lupus in a lamb skyn lappit, Makand thair godis of warldlie … geir, The flock new foundit and they in furringis happit(b) 15.. Sym & Bruder 61.
Or thay twynd him & his dudis The tyme of none wes tareit; Wa worth this wedding, for be thir widis, The meit is all miskareit

2. The dress or apparel appropriate to a particular sort or class of person. a1400 Leg. S. v 649.
Ved a1400 Leg. S. xxiii 111.
In begaris wed … he mycht sa Vnkennyt wel cume & ga c1400 Troy-bk. i 297.
Sa buyrly a companye … sa mony kynglyk wed And sa fayr folk c1420 Wynt. v 1657.
Scho … stall away In mannys wede 1456 Hay II 42/3.
He is arayed in habyte of knychtis wede a1500 Rauf C. 593.
Ane man in husband weid, Buskit busteously c1475 Wall. i 277.
His modyr graithit hir in pilgrame weid 1535 Stewart 7233.
[The king] caist his … kinglie weid 15.. Clar. iii 1927.
Thus went he furth in palmer weid 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 240.
Horsis … ladyenit with meill … convoyit be sex suddartis … in millaris weid a1585 Maitland in Maitl. Q. 5/99.
Lordis wyffis in ladyis weid As dames of honour c1650 Spalding I 35.
His … gard cled in his loveray haueing broun veluot cottis … with … his majesteis armes … This wes the ordinary weid of thir his majesties foot guard 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1681) ii 24.
Wallace … in a pig-mans weed … Espied all the English leagure

b. specif. Of a religious or clergyman. 1456 Hay I 284/19.
The religious men ar cled in blak wede commonly c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 165/11.
Quhy skarris thow with this holy weid? Cleith thé thairin c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 166/36 (M).
In freiris weyd full fairlie haue I flechit c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5440.
Quhat dois auaill religious wedis, Quhen thay ar contrar in thare dedis? 1598 Edinb. B. Rec. V 223.
Als mekill gray as will be fyve freirs weids and sum gros reid clayth to be the weid of ane paip … to serve the play c1650 Spalding I 39.
This is the weid of archibischopis and bischopis, and weiris no surpluce 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 33.
They cast of their cloathes wheirwt they ware formerly cloathed and receaves the Capuchines broun weid

c. Dress appropriate to mourning. 1456 Hay I 59/14.
Cled thai thame in clething of sekkis, and in wedis of doloure c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 422.
Quhen that I go to the kirk cled in cair weid, As foxe in a lambis fleise c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 447.
According to my sable weid I mone haif sad maneris 1531 Bell. Boece II 165.
This othir sall pas in dolorus weid on ane blak hors 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 449.
To be hir ane duleweid, vj elnis fyne Parys blak c1550 Lynd. Test. Meldrum 127.
Duill weidis I think hypocrisie & scorne c1550 Lynd. Test. Meldrum 214.
The fair ladies of France … for my saik, will weir the murning weid 1570 Sempill in Sat. P. xii 172.
With sychis, and sobbis, and beltit robbis, Ȝe counterfite the dule: Quhat douchtie deidis to weir sic wedis 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 158.
William Kircaldie … raid fra the said palace in dule weid 1610 Edinb. Test. XLVI 172b.
Eftir my deceis to my auld ant … alsmeikel fyne blak Inglis stemyng to be hir ane goun and cloik for duill weid 1612 Breadalbane Lett. 28 Nov.
The prince salbe buried this nixt oulk and all duell and duel weidis sall ceas at court and heir

d. Hieland weid, the distinctive dress of a Highlander. c1650 Spalding I 4.
Thay keipit the feildis in thair Hieland weid vpone foote, with sourdis bowis arrowis … and vther Hieland armour 1651 Wemyss Corr. 95.
Thre schore … fell on them clad in Heland wed vith bowis arraw [etc.]

e. A huntsman's or outlaw's garb, ? with reference to the arms carried. a1570-86 Maitl. F. 362/64.
Ane bent bow in hir hand scho bair Vndir hir belt war arrowis braid … Than wepit scho lustie in weyd [: ȝeid] … tell me … quhy ȝe beir ȝour bow so bent to sla our deir … In waithman weyd sen I ȝow find in this wod walkand ȝour alone [etc.]

3. Armour, mail, protective clothing. Also pl. Cf. d and e above. 1375 Barb. xvi 588.
Him selff was armyt iolyly … A chemer for till hele his wed [C. veid] Apon his armour had he 1375 Barb. xi 136.
Mony a worthi man … & mony ane armur gayly dycht And mony a sturdy sterand stede Arayit in-till ryche wede ?1438 Alex. ii 1457.
Helme and irne weid a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 980.
He … Hakkit throw that hard weid c1475 Wall. vi 502.
A thousand off worthi men in weid c1475 Wall. xi 240.
I wald tak weid suld I fecht with a man, Bot [for] a dog … I will haiff nayn a1500 Sir Eger 107.
Armed well in sicker weed 1513 Doug. xi ii 78 (Sm.).
Aethon, his weirly steid, Dispulȝeit of hys harnessing and weid 1513 Doug. xi xv 8.
With … sovir weid Of coyrbulȝe or leddir 1513 Doug. xii xii 45.
So dyd the strakis dyn on thar steill weid c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 371.
Him drest … in his weirlyke weid, All weill enarmit saif the heid 15.. Clar. ii 885.
Ane knicht … leming in his weid, Withe lance in handpl. c1450-2 Howlat 555 (A).
He bure the sternis of estait in his stele weidis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 414.
Mony wight weryer, Worthy in wedis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 759.
With vengeand wapnis of were throu wedis thai wet c1475 Wall. iv 619.
Agayne his dynt na weidis mycht awaill c1475 Wall. vi 344.
Sexte thousand men, In wer wedis 1533 Boece 161a.
Galdus … removing armys and werelie wedis … vesyit all the boundis of his kinrik 1533 Boece 383a.
Danis … bare schort dartis … with scharp hedis to pers steill wedis or harnes 1533 Boece 476a.
Inemyis schynyng in armoure and were wedis

4. A garment, esp. an outer garment or cloak.(a) ?1438 Alex. ii 9984.
Of kingis beirdis he maid ane weid [F. vestemant] a1500 K. Hart 332.
Ane courtlie cote … A wourthy weid 1513 Doug. iv iv 20.
Lappyt in a brusyt mantill of Sydony … The goldyn button claspyt hir purpour weid 1517 Wigtown B. Ct. 69b.
Ane weid of keltyr a1568 Maitland in Bann. MS 13a/89.
Off leivis to mak thame selvis a weid To cleith thame 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 3/10.
The common weid of that whole cuntrey was mantils(b) 1589 Edinb. Test. XXI 61b.
Ane quhyt wod of claytht send to Flanderis

5. transf. and fig. a. The plumage of a bird. b. Foliage. c. The language, style or vocabulary of a literary work. d. Applied to the moral attributes or behaviour of a person.a. c1450-2 Howlat 84 (A).
The plesant pacok … Schroude in his schene weidb. ?1438 Alex. ii Prol. 10.
Quhen … burgeons of thare brancheis bredis And woddis winnis thare winfull wedis c1475 Wall. vi 11.
In Aperill quhen … woddis has won thar worthy weid off greyne 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 66.
Forrestis with nakyt bewis blowt Stude stripyt of thar weidc. 1460 Hay Alex. 19335.
This great storie … Was neuir befoir translaittit … out of the Frensche leid. Thus worthie war it hade a worthe weid 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 2162.
Breif buriall quhair of eloquence all quite, With russet weid and sentence imperfite c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 278 (M).
Thow lytill quair be evir … simpell of intent … Rude is thy weid destenit bair and rentd. 1513 Doug. Conscience 6.
Quhen halie kirk first flurist … Prelatis wer chosin of all perfectioun … And conscience maid the hale electioun Syn … come schrewit correctioun And thocht that conscience had our large ane weid And of his habite out cuttit thay ane skreid a1568 Scott xxx 7.
Than … he is begune The well of wisdome for to kune; Than is his weid of vertew spune a1568 Bann. MS 228b/66.
Hir sark suld be of sobirnes … Hir goun … Hir belt [etc.] … This haif I cled my luif rycht weill Na weid will cum hir better Nor this garmond 1571 Sat. P. xxix 24.
Quhat mervall thocht … the … clayth of diuine reuerence And ministration that Aron woure is putt in negligence? Ȝitt [etc.] … Quhen the puir preist to scaffald went the auld bisshop befoir In Aronis weidis