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.
WEEL-FAURED, ppl.adj. Also -faurd, -fa(a)rd, -farred, -faurt, -fairt (Ayr. 1833 Galt Howdie (1923) 64). Sc. forms of Eng. well-favoured. See Faur, Ill-faured. Of persons: good-looking, handsome (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein, Rxb. 1942 Zai), also weel-fardy, id. Gen.Sc.; decent, respectable; also of things: pleasant to look at, attractive, handsomely-made. Hence weel-faurtness, handsomeness, good looks (Sc. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1732 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) IV. 241:
As soon as they saw her well-far'd face, They coost the glamer o'er her.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 55:
She's a weel far'd lusty hissy.Ayr. 1787 Burns Letters (Fergusson) No. 112:
Monie a guid fallow, and monie a weel-far'd hizzie.Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xv.:
A weel fa'ard lad he is.Cai. 1829 J. Hay Poems 73:
The stout weel fardy sonsy dame.Slk. a.1835 Hogg Tales (1874) 591:
It will be a grand fortune to ony bit weelfaurd lass bairn to get three lordships.Kcb. 1885 A. J. Armstrong Friend and Foe xxvii:
It's no muckle wunner the lassie fell in love wi' yow, for ye're a weel-faured chiel.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 24:
It's no' like the thing ava for weel-faur'd fowk to do naething but trail aboot sing-singin' week-in week-oot.Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. vi. 224:
Dey waar better folk dan nor noo, an' is weel farred.em.Sc. 1920 J. Black Airtin' Hame 24:
We had a weel-faured hoose to let.Abd. 1921 Swatches o' Hamespun 10:
Meggie hedna nae weel-faurtness tae blaw aboot.Mry. 1922 Swatches o' Hamespun 20:
Hoo prood they were o' Tam an' his weel-faurt menners.s.Sc. 1979 Lavinia Derwent A Border Bairn (1986) 17:
But anything he wore, even his nightshirt, seemed to suit him, giving proof to another Border saying: 'A weel-faured face sets a dishcloot.' Abd. 1980 David Toulmin Travels Without a Donkey 35:
Drum is also famous for its ballad about the laird who went a hunting and fell in love with a "well faured" (beautiful) maid a shearing her father's barley, probably one of the crofters on his estate. Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 73:
Their mither, Mary Mowatt, wisna weel-faured. She wis as braid an as brosie as a feedin stirk, wi fair hair as roch's the streyns o a frayin towe. Bit ye dinna glisk at the lintel fan ye're gaun throw the yett, as Dod Mowatt ay said. Uls. 2000 Belfast News Letter 27 Jan 16:
Here's a wheen o well-faured scrapes so's ye'll ken a weeker nicht of Ulster-Scots on BBC with a smoolyin o sang, stawrie, musack an pooetry for tae mark.
Adv. weelfa(u)rdly, in a decent, proper or pleasant manner, handsomely (Sc. 1825 Jam.), ironically in 1822 quot.; politely; “avowedly, as opposed to any clandestine measure” (Ib.); “with a good grace” (Abd. 1790 A. Shirreffs Poems Gl.).Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 88:
Whan I shoot my nose in, ten to ane If I weelfardly see my ane hearthstane.Dmf. 1822 Scots Mag. (Sept.) 309:
Nithsdale aik can clour a fallow's croun just as weel-faurdly as Gallowa' crabtree.Ags. 1858 People's Journal (1 May) 2:
If they really can weelfaurdly afford to mainteen their families at hame.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxxi.:
I could nae langer weel-faurdly resist the pressure o' his invitations.Sh. 1897 Shetland News (5 June):
Deil tak' me if ever [I heard] o' onyeen weel faurdly fantin' demsels ta deth till da day!
