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.
Quotation dates: 1880, 1956
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WHESS, v. To pant, gasp from shortness of breath, breathe loudly and rapidly (Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. 154, Ork. 1974). [ʍɛs]Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 116:
Like tae leep wi' veelant haet That gaird him whess for want o' braith.Ork. 1956 C. M. Costie Benjie's Bodle 63:
"A'm whessan like onything," said the aald wife.Ork. 1956 C. M. Costie in Neil R. MacCallum Lallans 51 (1998) 9:
Weel, the Horse tried his very best, bit hid wisno a canny load he hid tae cairry, an i a peerie while he wis i a drock o swaet, an pechan an whessan like onything.
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"Whess v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/whess>
