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.
Quotation dates: 1768-1899, 1951
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WAX, n. Also waux (Lnk. 1920 G. A. H. Douglas Further Adventures Rab Hewison 12; Lth. 1925 C. P. Slater Marget Pow 52). Sc. form and usage in comb. (1) wax cloth, usu. canvas cloth, coated with wax or other water-proofing substance, used esp. for floor and table coverings, oil-cloth, linoleum. Gen.Sc.; †(2) wax-meall, a money commutation for wax paid as a due to the merchant Guild, specif. of Stirling, by entrant members, orig. for candles for a church, Cf. Eng. †wax-shot, id.(1) Sc. 1816 Scott Black Dwarf i.:
The first having a hat covered with wax-cloth, and dreadnought overalls.Sc. 1834 in J. A. Ross Three Generations of Englishwomen (1888) I. 85:
Some sort of wax-cloth for a lobby.Sc. 1868 Chambers's Encycl. X. 111:
Wax-cloth, a name sometimes given, but very erroneously, to Floor-cloth.Ags. 1899 Barrie W. in Thrums i.:
A round, unsteady, waxcloth-covered table.Abd. 1951 Abd. Univ. Review (Spring) 30:
Ye war feart to set fit on her waxcloth.(2) Slg. 1768 R. S. Fittis Sports & Pastimes (1891) 205:
[The Guildry] "instead of paying the Chapmen 20s. sterling for a Ring for their Race, allow them to collect the Wax Meall payable by the several Chapmen, etc., for having the benefit of the Market."
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"Wax n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/wax>
