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: 1825-1933
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WAMFLE, v., adj. Also wamfil, wamphle; also ? erron. wamf. [wɑmfl]
I. v. 1. intr. To flap, flutter, wave about, to go with one's clothes flapping (Fif. 1808 Jam.).Fif. 1825 Jam.:
Her [a boat's] sails were wamflin' i' the wind.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin ix.:
My solitary swallow-tail, wamflin in the wind.Fif. 1873 J. Wood Ceres Races 36:
Oor speaking een, oor wamfing arms.Sc. 1933 W. Soutar Seeds in the Wind 34:
We corbies wha hae taken tent, An' wamphl'd roond, an' glower'd asklent.
2. "To sully " (Ayr. 1825 Jam.), ? sc. to wrinkle or crease. Cf. Waffle, v., 4. Of doubtful authenticity.
II. adj. Limp, flaccid, flexible, pliant, weak, useless (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 206; Mry., Bnff., Abd., Ags., Gall. 1921 T.S.D.C., wamfil; Bnff., Abd. 1973). Deriv. wamflin, "a puny child who has a large belly" (Cai. 1825 Jam.).Bnff. 1889 Banffshire Jnl. (31 Dec.):
His wamfle airm is sair in need.Bnff. 1930:
His legs are ower wamfle for cairryin' that heavy seck. His collar was a' wamfle.
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"Wamfle v., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/wamfle>
