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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WAGE, n., v. Also waidge, wedge, weag (e.Lth. 1744 Scots. Mag. (Jan. 1897) 152); wadge (Sc. 1700 Sighs of a Sinking Kingdom 2; Abd. 1731 Abd. Jnl. N. & Q. II. 252), waage (Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb viii.; Per. 1887 R. Cleland Inchbracken 245; Bnff. 1939 J. M. Caie Hills and Sea 63), wauge (Knr. 1891 H. Haliburton Ochil Idylls 42; Fif. 1894 J. Menzies Our Town 55), wawge (Abd. 1913 D. Scott Hum. Stories 23), wauje (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.); vadge (Bnff. 1703 Records Bnff. (S.C.) 247); pl. wadgies. Sc. forms and usages. [wedʒ; ne.Sc. wɑdʒ. See P.L.D. § 27.1.]

I. n. 1. Specif. in pl., school fees (Ayr. c.1885).Rxb. 1711 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. (1902) 57:
To Isabel Ker 3 quarters wadgies for poor scholars in Borthwickhaugh …. £1. 8s.Kcb. 1742 J. A. Russell Hist. Educ. Kcb. (1951) 61:
In payment of the poor scholars wedges for the two years.Ayr. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XII. 401:
The wages for teaching are very small, being 1s. 6d. a-quarter for reading, 2s. for writing, 3s. for arithmetic and church music.Ayr. 1819 Kilmarnock Mirror 299:
I stappet down to the school-house to lift the quarter wages according to notice given.Per. 1845 Stat. Acc.² X 247:
The wages for beginners are 2s. per quarter; 2s. 6d. for reading and writing; and 3s. for arithmetic and Latin.Ayr. 1869 Innes Review (Spring 1962) 91:
Parochial Board paid wages of some of the poorer children who are on the parish.

2. The act of shaking in a threatening manner (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 211, wodge).

II. v. 1. (1) To pledge. Obs. since 16th c. in Eng.Ayr. 1791 Burns Ae Fond Kiss iii.:
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.

(2) to wager, bet (Cai., Fif., Lth., wm.Sc. 1973). Obs. in Eng. exc. dial. since 17th c.Slg. 1804 G. Galloway Luncarty 45:
I'll wage the globe (were't mine) French knaves will run.Lnk. 1922 T. S. Cairncross Scot at Hame 70:
I could waidge that that's Jock Scott.Edb. 1928 A. D. Mackie In Two Tongues 39:
I'll wadge for the wifey they mootched richt weel.

2. tr. To wield (an implement), to brandish or hurl (a weapon) (ne.Sc., Ags., Fif. 1973); to shake (one's fist) in a threatening manner (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.). Rare in Eng. Orig. from the notion of challenging implied in wage in (2) above.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin x.:
The chield began to wadge his steekit neive wi' great fury close to my nose.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 211:
He wodget's nivv in's face. He wodget a ramack o' a stick our's hehd.Abd. 1928 J. Baxter A' Ae 'Oo' 18:
Winter! A' the chiels ootbye Waugin' graips tae meat the kye.Bnff. 1969 Banffshire Jnl. (7 Jan.) 3:
Out of the door he ran wodgin' his nieve.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 32:
Reengin the roads wi geets an a tyke at her heel,
Gabbin laich-in tull hersel an wadgin her nieve
At her ain face glowerin up throwe Strypie's waal.