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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
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.

WONT, adj., v., n. [wʌnt; wɪnt]

I. adj. Forms. As in Eng., wont: also wint (Gsw. 1860 J. Young Poorhouse Lays 70; Ags. 1929 Scots Mag. (May) 150; I.Sc. 1974); wunt (s.Sc. 1856 H. S. Riddell St Matthew xxvii. 15); won'd (cf. Won, v.).

1. (1) Customary, usual. Comb. wont-to-be, n., an old custom.Ags. 1794 W. Anderson Piper of Peebles 7:
An' mony wont-to-be's, nae doubt, An' customs we ken nought about.Sc. 1827 G. R. Kinloch Ballad Bk. 88:
Kissing was won'd in the warld, Whan there was but only twa.

(2) with wi: accustomed or used to, familiar with (I.Sc. 1974). Obs. in Eng. since 16th c.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 6:
Bit de coo fand a smell wi de laird's claes at sheu wus no wint wi.Sh. 1928 Manson's Sh. Almanac 186:
A'm no been wint wi a haandle ta my name.Ork. 1956 C. M. Costie Benjie's Bodle 195:
Jennie wis gettan kindo ill-set, for sheu wisno wint wae bean contered.Sh. 1993 New Shetlander Sep 22:
"I'm a whalin man" he said "an mair wint wi the harpoon than the haddock line. Some o these boys goin aboot the doors ill gaeng aff an get you a haddock or twa."

II. v. Forms. Pr.t. and inf. wint (Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 215); pa.t. wunt (Sc. c.1826 Jamie Douglas in Child Ballads (1956) IV. 94; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 276); pa.p. wonted, wintit.

1. tr. To accustom, make familiar with one's surroundings. Also in U.S. Comb. weel-wintit, of pigeons (Lnk. 1958).Ayr. 1786 Burns To Maj. Logan xii.:
Ance to the Indies I were wonted.

2. intr. To be in the habit of, be used to (Ork., ‡Cai. 1974). Now rare or obs. in St. Eng.Sc. 1725 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) I. 179:
Waly, waly yon burn-side, Where I and my love wont to gae.Bwk. 1801 “Bwk. Sandie” Poems 26:
Your merry countenance, whilk wont to cheer A dowie saul.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck xvi.:
I rappit at it wi' a rap that wont to be weel kend.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 197:
We foreign traders wha wont to clear out without making custom house entries.Dmf. 1874 R. W. Reid Moorland Rhymes 227:
I canna look intae your een ava That wont to be dear tae me.Per. 1895 R. Ford Tayside Songs 175:
Playin' the games we wont to play.

III. n. As in Eng. Also in form wount (Bnff. c.1702 Ann. Bnff. (S.C.) I. 171).