wanchancyadj.
/wɒnˈtʃansi/, U.S. /wɑnˈtʃænsi/, Scottish English /wɔnˈtʃansɪ/ Scottish (now literary).
Unlucky, dangerous; also, eerie, uncanny.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > danger > [adjective]
plightlyOE
wothea1300
perilousc1300
wickeda1375
plightfula1400
dreadfulc1400
parlous?a1425
shrewd1482
danger1488
dangerous1490
periculous1533
dangerful1548
dangersome1567
craggy1582
perilsome1593
endangering1601
unsafe1621
imperilous1645
ugly1654
warm1726
neck-break1756
wanchancy1768
uncanny1785
unchancy1786
nasty1828
unhealthy1915
windy1919
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [adjective] > inauspicious
perilousc1390
unlucky1519
unchancy1533
unhappy1533
infortunate1548
sinistrous?c1550
luckless1584
dismal1588
ominous1589
fatal1590
bad-bodinga1592
disastrous1598
inauspicious1599
black1604
naught1620
inauspicate1632
infaustous1656
infaust1658
ill-omened1685
black boding1743
wanchancy1768
oracular1820
inominous1832
widdershins1926
the mind > emotion > fear > quality of inspiring fear > quality of being eerie > [adjective]
unked1574
iry1603
wanchancy1768
eerie1792
eerisome1818
pokerish1825
unco1828
oorie1843
spooky1854
creepy-crawly1902
1768 A. Ross Rock & Wee Pickle Tow in Fortunate Shepherdess 129 A mutchkin of linseed I'd in the yerd fling, For a' the wan chansie [1789 wanchansy] beginning o't.
a1774 R. Fergusson Poems (1785) 175 My travellers are fley'd to deid Wi' creels wanchancy, heap'd wi' bread, Frae whilk hing down uncanny nicksticks.
1786 R. Burns Poems 67 Wae worth that man wha first did shape, That vile, wanchancie thing—a raep!
1814 W. Scott Waverley III. xvi. 235 Some wan-chancy person..fired a shot at him. View more context for this quotation
1827 W. Scott Two Drovers in Chron. Canongate 1st Ser. I. xiv. 333 [A dirk] is a wanchancy weapon in a Highlandman's hand.
1893 R. L. Stevenson Catriona xv. 172 The tither [boat] lay whaur it was and watched the wanchancy thing on the brae-side.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1768