▪ I. † ˈwapper, n. Obs. rare—1.
[a. Du. wapper, cogn. with wapperen to swing: see next.]
? A (leaden) ball attached to a strap used as a striking weapon. So † ˈwapper v.1 trans., to strike (a person) with this weapon.
| 1481 Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 16 That one had an leden malle and that other a grete leden wapper therwyth they wappred and al for slyngred hym. |
▪ II. wapper, a. Now dial.
(ˈwɒpə(r))
[Back-formation from wapper-eyed, -jawed: see wapper v.2]
† a. Of the eyes: Blinking, unsteady. Obs. b. Of a jaw (see quots.). dial. and U.S.
| 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 280 What if he will geve no credite to your opinions? no nor yet to your wapper eyes that are bleared and dimme with rancour and malice? 1608 R. Armin Nest Ninn. (1842) 6 But such was his, who thus busied, was tooke napping by the weale publike, who smiles upon him with a wapper eye, a iealous countenance, and bids him all haile. a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Wapper-jaws, a wry mouth; a warped jaw. 1891 Century Dict., Wapper⁓jaw. 2. A projecting under-jaw. (Colloq., U.S.) |
▪ III. wapper, v.1
see wapper n.
▪ IV. wapper, v.2 Obs. exc. dial.
(ˈwɒpə(r))
[Perh. cogn. w. wave v.; cf. Du. wapperen to swing, oscillate, waver.]
1. intr. To blink the eyes. Also, ‘to move tremulously’ (Halliwell 1847, as a Somerset word).
| 1575 Mirr. Mag. 1, Nennius 75 b, But still he stode his face to set awrye, And wappering turnid vp his white of eye. 1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. i. 40 She was toothlesse, chap-falne, hollow-eyed, and wappering withall. |
2. pass. To be tired out.
| 1898 J. A. Gibbs Cotswold Village xii. 258 [Period 1592] Thou'll not see Stratford to-night, sir, thy horse is wappered out. Foot-note. Wappered = tired. A Cotswold word. |
3. Comb.: wapper-eyed a. dial., blinking, blear-eyed (see quots.); wapper-jawed a. U.S.
| 1604 T. M. Black Bk. D 2 b, I..changed my shape into a litle wapper-eid Constable, to winke and blinke at small faults. a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Wapper-eyed, that has Sore or running Eyes. 1746 Exmoor Scolding (E.D.S.) Gloss., Wapper-eyed, goggle-eyed, having full rolling Eyes; or looking like one scared; or squinting like a Person overtaken with Liquor. 1848 Lowell Fable for Critics Prelim. note, Fancy an heir that a father had seen born well featured and fair, turning suddenly..squint-eyed, hair-lipped, wapper⁓jawed. 1849 ‘N. Hogg’ Poet. Lett. (1850) Gloss., Wapper⁓hy'd, sleepy, groggy. 1886 W. Somerset Word-bk., Wapper⁓eyed, having quick-moving restless eyes—constantly rolling from side to side, as is seen in very nervous persons. |
▪ V. wapper
variant of whopper.