Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WALD, v., n.² Also waald; wall. Sc. forms of Eng. wield. For Sc. usages see Wield.

I. v. To manage, handle, manipulate (a weapon); to brandish, to aim (Ork. 1973). Pa.t. wall'd.Ayr. 1790 J. Fisher Poems 149:
She made it [a clue of yarn] stot, An' wall'd sae well her arm.Dmf. 1797 Edb. Mag. (Dec.) 458:
Pate's sae fou he canna wald the bow.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 9:
Lord gin I wur eeble tae wald hid [sword] mesel'.

II. n. Command, control. Obs. in Eng. since 15th c.Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. iv. 173:
A score o' selkie skins 'at they hed slippit aff tae get a better waald o' their legs i' the dance.