▪ I. whid, n.1
(hwɪd)
Forms: 6 whydd, 7– whid, 9 Sc. whud.
[Origin uncertain. That it is a dial. variant of OE. cwide speech (otherwise not represented in the language) is possible, but the absence of parallels is a serious objection. The sense-development is remarkably similar to that of yed.]
1. A word. (Usually in pl.). Thieves' cant.
| 1567 Harman Caveat (1869) 84 To cutte bene whydds, to speake or geue good wordes, to cutte quyre whyddes, to geue euell wordes or euell language. Ibid. 86 Stowe your bene, cofe, and cut benat whydds. 1673 R. Head Canting Acad. 49 Be wary. Stow your whids. 1728 [De Foe] Street Robberies Consider'd 34 Plant the Whids, take Care what you say. 1821 Scott Kenilw. x, The swaggering vein will not pass here, you must cut boon whids. 1861 Reade Cloister & H. lv, I pray Heaven thou mayest prove to paint better than thou cuttest whids. |
2. A lie, fib, falsehood; an exaggerated story. Sc.
| 1791 Burns Death & Dr. Hornbook i, Ev'n Ministers, they hae been kenn'd,..A rousing whid, at times, to vend, And nail't wi' Scripture. 1863 M. Dods Early Lett. (1910) 330 Your πρῶτον ψεῦδος, i.e. Your fundamental whid. 1894 Crockett Raiders xlvi, Kennedy thinks no more o' tellin' a whud (lie) than o' slappin' a cleg that nips him on the hench bane. |
3. A dispute, quarrel. dial.
| 1847 Halliwell, Whid, a dispute; a quarrel. East. |
▪ II. whid, n.2 Sc.
(hwɪd)
Forms: 6 quhyd, 8–9 whid, whud.
[? a. ON. hviða squall = OE. hwiþa.]
† 1. A squall, blast of wind. Obs.
| 1590 J. Burel in Watson Coll. Sc. Poems ii. (1709) 24 The wind, with mony quhyd, Maist bitterly thair blew. |
2. A quick noiseless movement, esp. of a hare.
in or wi' a whid, in a trice.
| 1719 Ramsay 2nd Answ. to Hamilton i, Wi' a Whid,..She'll rin red-wood. 1785 Burns To W. S*****n xii, Jinkin hares, in amorous whids. 1788 R. Galloway Glasgow Fair ii. vi, He lent a blow at Jonny's eye, That rais'd it, in a whid. |
▪ III. whid, v.1 Sc.
(hwɪd)
Also whud.
[f. whid n.1]
intr. To talk cant; to lie, fib. Chiefly in vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1823 Egan Grose's Dict. Vulgar T., Whidding, talking cant. Scotch cant. 1881 Walford Dick Netherby v, A fair⁓farrend, whuddin' youngster. 1891 ‘H. Haliburton’ Ochil Idylls 90 Whiddin's an airt. |
▪ IV. whid, v.2 Sc.
(hwɪd)
Also 9 whud.
[f. whid n.2]
intr. To move nimbly without noise.
| c 1730 Ramsay 1st Answ. to Somerville 94 You range After the fox or whidding hare. 1790 Burns Elegy on Capt. M― H― vi, Ye maukins whiddin thro' the glade. 1816 Scott Bl. Dwarf iii, Ye see yon other light that's gaun whiddin' back and forrit. |