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.
WHETHER, conj. Also Sc. forms whither, -ir; whuther (Sc. 1818 S. E. Ferrier Marriage xxxiii.; Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 100; Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 23); whidder (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.), weeder (Sh. 1918 T. Manson Peat Comm. 77), also reduced form, as in Eng. dial., where (Mry. 1887 W. H. Tester Poems 109). Sc. usages in phr. whether or no, used adj., = uncertain, indecisive, dithering (em.Sc., Lnk., Dmf. 1974), also as a n., a ditherer. See also Fither. [′ʍɛðɪr, ′ʍɪ-; Sh. ′ʍɪd-]Fif. 1887 S. Tytler Logie Town III. xii.:
A blate, wishy-washy, whether-or-no, stickit minister o' a chield.Fif. 1909 R. Holman Char. Studies 65:
He looked gey wither or no' like.
