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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.

WITHER-, pref. Also weather-, wother-; widder-. Now obs. in Eng. In combs. in the sense of: 1. In return, by way of compensation, to counterbalance; wither-we(i)cht, -weight, a counterweight, a weight put on one side of a pair of scales to counterbalance the weight of a container or the like of the goods weighed in the other (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Cai. 1905 E.D.D.). Also fig. and rarely as a v., to counter-balance, make up for.Ork. 1757 Session Papers, Galloway v. Morton (12 Nov.) 42:
Some of them have Wither-weights of Bone or Lead, others quite naked, that may have been lessened by the eating of Time, but cannot possibly be weightier than at first.Sc. 1759 Session Papers, Coutts Bros. v. Wilson (28 July) 44:
He saw a Weather Weight put up in a Clout in the Scales where the Weights was, but knows not how much that Weight was.Slk. 1820 Hogg Winter Ev. Tales I. 270:
She's nae wotherweight nouther.Bwk. 1876 W. Brockie Confessional 202:
An' what's a' the glory that ever was hecht Frae battles or sieges? — a puir wither wecht, Compared wi' the cost o' the quarrel.Ags. 1880 A. M. Soutar Hearth Rhymes 101:
I've managed aye tae get the gude, Tae weather-weicht the ill.Abd. 1926 Sc. N. & Q. IV. 112:
In the report of a recent inspection of auction mart weigh-bridges it was necessary to describe or explain the even balance of the weighing machine before anything was put on. This not so very long ago was known by everybody as “wither-weight.” When wool was retailed in country markets it was quite common to hear a purchaser tell the vendor before he began to weigh to see that his “wither-wecht” was “richt.”Ags. 1955:
An old man in Montrose once said to me of one who liked value for his money — “The wither-wecht's richt fan he weys his oo.”

2. In a contrary direction, backwards: (1) widdergates, -gaets, -gjets, adv., anti-clockwise, from right to left, in an opposite direction to the apparent course of the sun (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., -gjets, Sh. 1974). See Gate, n., 1.(2); (2) witherlins, -lands, widder-, adv., id. (Abd. 1911 Abd. Weekly Jnl. (20 Jan.)). See -Lins, suff.; (3) withershins, see Withershins adv., adj., n.; (4) witherwirt, adv., id., used adj. in quot. = unsteady, wavering, lurching (Ork. 1974). See -Wart, suff.; (5) widderwise, adv., = (1) (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.); transf. adj., of a person: contrary, vexatious, stubborn (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1974).(1) Sh. 1899 Shetland News (21 Oct.):
To turn the boat against the sun was termed ‘widdergaets'.Sh. 1933 J. Gray Lowrie 155:
If da wind gengs widder gaets, dey'll be green wadder an' blash.Sh. 1951 A. T. Cluness Shetland Isles 116:
Take three small stones from the beach between high- and low-water marks, place in a peat fire until very hot, then plunge in to a large kettle filled with salt water. Now place the baby naked in the kettle, turn it thrice “sungates” and thrice “widdergates”.(2) Sc. 1828 Young Allan in Child Ballads No. 245 B. v.:
Young Allan and his bonny new ship Gaed three times witherlins about . . . [C. xi.: witherlands]Abd. 1921 Swatches o' Hamespun 16:
Blin'-fauldit a curn chiels wi' a barra the piece tried aifter bein' furlt widderlins aboot.(4) Ork. 1930 Orcadian (13 Feb.):
Gitelan' is a weak, witherwirt, laughable style of walking.