Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
WAGER, v. Also wauger, waager, wadger, wahger, waajer (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.); wu(d)ger (Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 95, Arg. 1906 N. Munro Vital Spark ii.), weeger (Kcb. 1896 A. J. Armstrong Kirkiebrae 73, 279). As in Eng. but in Sc. more freq. and colloq. tr. To stake (something) on the likelihood of a certain result, to bet, intr. to make a wager or bet, freq. parenthetical or with a n. clause. [′wɑdʒər]Sc. 1722 R. Wodrow Corresp. (1843) II. 647:
I hear the Jacobites were wagering on it some weeks ago.Sc. 1823 Blackwood's Mag. (Oct.) 493:
I'll wauger he'll be eating twa eggs to his breakfast the morn.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xliii.:
Aw wauger onything she'll come doon upo' aul' Peter's heid aboot it.Kcb. 1885 A. J. Armstrong Friend and Foe xix.:
Some-body gaun for a doctor, I'll weeger.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 38:
You can wadger your henmist bodle on that.Sh. 1918 T. Manson Peat Comm. 76:
I'se waager ta send da Deil edder oot da lum, or da window, or da door, whatever wye ye want.Arg. 1920 H. Foulis Vital Spark i.:
I'll wudger it's more than Maclean the munister.Edb. 1928 A. D. Mackie In Two Tongues 45:
I wid wauger, That gif this Hoose is sweer tae hain The wyte's no in her corner stane.Abd. 1954 Banffshire Jnl. (19 Jan.):
That's been Hillney, I'll wauger.
