† wawn.1
Obsolete.
A wave.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > [noun]
waterOE
undc1200
wawc1290
flowinga1382
water wave?1555
wale1565
wave1671
c1290 St. Brendan 530 in S. Eng. Leg. 234 Þe wawes of þe se beoten also bi-fore and bi-hynde.
a1300 Cursor Mundi 1844 On þe streme þat arche can ride, Þe wauus [13.. Gott. wawis, c1375 Fairf. waghes] beft on ilk side.
c1300 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Otho) (1963) l. 5976 Waȝes [c1275 Calig. vðen] þar arne.
c1325 Metr. Hom. 135 This schippe..That Crist rad in and his felawes, Imang dintes of gret quawes.
c1330 R. Mannyng Chron. Wace (Rolls) 2973 Þe se gan fighte, þe wawes ros.
?a1366 Romaunt Rose 1561 The water is ever fresh and newe That welmeth up with wawes brighte [Fr. a grans ondes].
c1440 Generydes 91 Full wekydly he and his vj felawes In to the see were cast among the wawis.
c1450 (c1400) Emaré (1908) 322 She was so dryuen fro wawe to wawe, She hyd her hede and lay fulle lawe.
a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. iii. 42 Thise wawghes ar so wode.
a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) II. f. xlvii The water of ye Ryuer whiche was brode & depewas so troublous of wawe that the brydge therwith was all toshaken.
c1515 Ld. Berners tr. Bk. Duke Huon of Burdeux (1882–7) xlvi. 156 The wawes..semyd so greate and hye as mounteyns.
1518 Ortus Vocabulorum (ed. 3) Flustrum,..sterynge of the see or a wawhe.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) James i. A He that douteth, is lyke the wawes [1526 Tindale waues] of ye See.
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 1992 So wode were the waghes & þe wilde ythes.
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 12310 Tho shippes to shilde o þe shyre whaghes.
1549 W. Thomas Hist. Italie f. 172v The little vessell..whiche the wawes of the sea by little and little draue towardes the lande.
1571 J. Maitland Admon. to Regent 31 Bewar thairfoir wt wadder, waw, and wind.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. xii. sig. Z7 They on this Rock are rent, and sunck in helples wawes.
a1614 J. Melville Autobiogr. & Diary (1842) 169 A tempestous schoure and drow..with sic a how wa and spenedrift, that..he lukit for grait danger.
1821 W. Scott Pirate III. ii. 36 As I would pilot a boat betwixt Swona and Stroma, through all the waws, wells, and swelchies of the Pentland Firth.]
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
† wawn.2
Scottish and northern dialect. Obsolete.
A measure of weight, usually equal to twelve stone.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement by weighing > [noun] > unit or denomination of weight > stone (fourteen pounds) > twelve stones
waw1316
1316 in J. T. Fowler Extracts Acct. Rolls Abbey of Durham (1898) I. 11 In 3 Wawes plumbi emp., 11s. 3d.
1399 Accts. Exchequer King's Remembrancer 473/11 m. 3 Pro batel~lagio ix. Waugh [es] plumbi.
14.. Assisa de Toll. vii, in Sc. Acts (1844) I. 669 And of wax at þe entre nathyng bot of ilk waw at þe oute passyng aucht peniis gif it be weyit be wawys.
1484 in T. Thomson Acts Lords Auditors (1839) 138*/2 xiij wall and five stane of hollande cheisis.
1499 A. Halyburton Ledger (1867) 225 Ane [sack of wool] weyand vj wall xxv naill, and tother vj wal xv naill.
1501 in J. B. Paul Accts. Treasurer Scotl. (1900) II. 82 viij waw v stane of irne,..ilk waw xxv s.
1541–2 in J. B. Paul Accts. Treasurer Scotl. (1908) VIII. 122 xv wall thre stane xiiij pund Spanze irne.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
wawn.3
/wɔː/, U.S. /wɔ/, /wɑ/, Scottish English /wɔ/ Scottish and northern dialect.
The cry of a cat.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Felidae (feline) > felis domesticus (cat) > [noun] > sounds made by > miaow
meow1634
waw1763
mew1791
maw1820
meow1840
mewl1857
1763 ‘T. Bobbin’ Toy-shop (new ed.) (Gloss.) Weaw.
1825 Newcastle Mag. Sept. 393/2 O, ye of little faith!..to be frightened by the cry of an owl or the wauw of a cat.
1835 J. D. Carrick Laird of Logan (1841) 163 Its a wee weak i' the wauw, like Barr's cat, that ale o' yours.
1859 A. Whitehead Legends of Westmorland 35 (E.D.D.) They ofttimes saw a cat,..Unearthly was its waw.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
wawn.4
The name of the 6th letter in Hebrew (see vau n., vav n.) and the corresponding letter in the Arabic and other Semitic alphabets. waw consecutive n. Hebrew Grammar = conversive adj.1
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > writing > written character > name of written character > [noun] > Semitic
alephc1300
vau1382
yod1534
waw1832
vav1869
1832 S. Lee Gram. Hebrew Lang. (ed. 2) 3 Vaw, or Waw.
1880 E. C. Mitchell tr. F. H. W. Gesenius Hebrew Gram. ii. ii. 125 (heading) The perfect and the imperfect with Wāw consecutive.
1880 Encycl. Brit. XI. 596/2 Among the points in which Hebrew differs both from Arabic and Aramaic may be mentioned..the use of Waw consecutive.
1889 J. Kennedy Introd. Biblical Heb. 117 Ewald and other modern Grammarians prefer to call it Waw Consecutive.
1906 Expositor May 428 John xii. 15 follows the Hebrew of Zechariah ix. 9, the waw being epexegetic.
1914 J. E. McFadyen Davidson's Introd. Hebrew Gram. (ed. 19) xxiii. 84 Waw consecutive with the imperf. is pointed exactly like the Article.
1916 M. Roberts in Folk-Lore XXVII. 222 As there is no Arabic character to represent the v sound the Turks use the wau for this purpose.
1957 Encycl. Brit. XI. 362/1 Further relief was provided by ‘wāw-consecutive’, a construction almost confined to Biblical Hebrew.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
† wawv.1
Obsolete.
1. intransitive. To shake, totter, move loosely; to be ready to fall. Only Old English.
ΚΠ
c725 Corpus Gloss. (Hessels) L 81 Labat, weagat.
OE Riddle 3 8 Hornsalu wagiað, wera wicstede, weallas beofiað, steape ofer stiwitum.
c1000 Ælfric Deut. xxxiv. 7 His eagan ne mistodon ne his teð ne wagodon [L. nec dentes illius moti sunt].
2.
a. To sway to and fro on a base; to wave in the wind. Cf. wag v. 3. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > alternating or reciprocating motion > oscillation > oscillate [verb (intransitive)] > sway
wawc888
swang1340
waltera1375
swayve1377
swayc1500
nod1578
weave1596
showd1599
swing1607
swag1608
slinger1767
wintle1786
swale1820
daven1977
c888 Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. xxxv. §7 Ða ongon mon secgan be ðam hearpere þæt he meahte hearpian þæt se wudu wagode & þa stanas hi styredon.
c1380 J. Wyclif Sel. Wks. I. 72 Sawe ȝe a reede wawinge wiþ þe wynde?
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1876) VI. 425 It was i-made sotilliche by gravynge craft þat it semed verrailiche þat corn growynge þerynne wawed hider and þider, as longe corn dooþ in feeldes.
14.. J. Lydgate Testament 653 in Minor Poems (1911) 353 [I] Wawed with eche wynd, as doth a reedspere.
b. Of the beard, tongue: = wag v. 4.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > alternating or reciprocating motion > oscillation > oscillate [verb (intransitive)] > wag > specifically of bodily member
waw13..
wag1484
13.. K. Alis. 1164 Swithe mury hit is in halle, When the burdes wawen [Laud MS. waweþ] alle!
c1400 Laud Troy Bk. 6765 Afftir that strok his tonge neuere wawed.
c. Of a person: To swing.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > other amusements or entertainments > [verb (intransitive)]
wawc1440
swing1662
quizc1790
sea-bathe1792
mudlark1870
pogo1921
yo-yo1932
to jump rope1934
c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 518/2 Wawyn, or waueryn, yn a myry totyr, oscillo.
3. Of water, the wind: To move restlessly or uncertainly (about). Also transferred and figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > movement of waves > move restlessly about [verb (intransitive)]
wawc1200
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > wind > blow (of the wind) [verb (intransitive)] > blow from a particular quarter > change direction
wendc1275
turnc1300
waw1496
shift1661
whiffle1697
tack1727
haul1769
to come around1797
c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 175 Ðe se is eure waȝiende and þere fore unstedefast.
1496 (c1410) Dives & Pauper (de Worde) ix. iv. 352/1 His worde & his loue & his fayth wawen about as the wynde.
1538 T. Elyot Dict. Vndans, wawyng or mouing like to wawes.
4. Of a person, animal: To move, stir; to go; also with away. Also reflexive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > bodily movement > move the body or a member [verb (intransitive)] > move as a living being
stira1000
wawc1275
movea1325
pass1340
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 13447 Hit agon daiȝen and deor gunnen waȝeȝen [c1300 Otho pleoye].
c1290 Beket 2148 in S. Eng. Leg. 168 He nas nouȝt þe man þat he wolde is heued enes with~drawe Ne fondi for-to fleo heore strokes, ne enes a-weiward wawe.
c1425 Cast. Persev. 210 in Macro Plays 83 Wretthe, þis wrecche, with me schal wawe.
5.
a. transitive. To cause to move or stir.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > cause to move [verb (transitive)]
stira1023
icchec1175
wawc1290
movea1382
remble1579
rouse1582
agitate1592
act1597
to put in (also into, to) motion1597
activate1624
actuate1641
animate1646
ferment1667
to feague away1671
to carry about1680
excite1694
jee1722
bestir1813
emotion1831
to set on1855
send1864
motion1929
the world > movement > bodily movement > move (the body or a member) [verb (transitive)] > move (a member)
stir?c1225
wawc1290
remove1483
wag1596
c1290 St. Lucy 114 in S. Eng. Leg. 104 A þousend men with al heore main on hire gonne drawe: Ac euere heo lai stille a-ȝein, huy ne miȝhten hire enes wawe.
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 4220 Þis geant..bigan is mace adrawe Þat tueye stalwarde men ne ssolde noȝt enes wawe.
13.. K. Alis. 2634 A spere..Yn the ground y-stikit fast,..Ac non of his myghte up-drawe, No forth in eorthe hit wawe.
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Matt. xi. 7 A reede wawid with wynd [L. arundinem vento agitatam].
b. To move (a limb).
ΚΠ
c1290 Marie Egiptiace 192 in S. Eng. Leg. 266 Heo ne wawede leome non bote hire lippene vnneþe.
a1400 Sir Beues 2177 Hit [the horse] ne wawede no fot, Til Beues hadde þe stirop.
a1400 Festiv. Ch. 330 in Leg. Rood App. 221 Þe Egle is frikest fowle in flye, Ouer all fowles to wawe hys wenge.
c. Of wind: To agitate (water).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > water > body of water > moving water > [verb (transitive)] > agitate
wawc1380
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > wind > blow (a blast) (of the wind [verb (transitive)] > ruffle surface of water
wawc1380
cat's-paw1853
flawa1894
c1380 Eng. Wycliffite Serm. in Sel. Wks. I. 70 And wyndis of pryde wawen þes floodis, so þat it is perilous to shippis for to wandre.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > [noun]
stirringc888
pacec1300
wawingc1305
bestirring1340
movinga1382
movementa1393
startlinga1398
flittinga1400
motionc1425
shiftingc1440
agitation1573
motiveness1611
go1635
moment1641
remover1653
move1818
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > alternating or reciprocating motion > [noun] > to-and-fro
wawing1500
to and fro1847
toing and froing1847
to-fro1937
c1305 Pop. Treat. Sci. 386 This soule deieth in a man..whan he leveth his breth and his wawinge also.
1500 Ortus Vocabulorum Cellinium, the wawynge of the water.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
wawv.2
/wɔː/, U.S. /wɔ/, /wɑ/, Scottish English /wɔ/ Scottish and northern dialect.
intransitive. To cry as a cat or utter a similar sound.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > by noises > voice or sound made by animal > make sound [verb (intransitive)] > howl or whine
theotenc888
yowla1225
gowlc1300
whinec1330
howl1390
yawlc1400
whrine?1507
whewla1560
whinge1562
waw1570
whimper1575
wail1595
ululate1623
wow1806
wowla1825
towl1906
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > sounds like animal or bird sounds > [verb (intransitive)] > caterwaul
waw1570
caterwaul1621
1570 P. Levens Manipulus Vocabulorum sig. Diiv/2 To Wawe as a cat, lallare.
1576 A. Fleming tr. J. Caius Eng. Dogges 29 This kinde of dogge is likewise called..the Mooner [L. lunarium]. Because he doth nothing else but watch and warde..bawing & wawing at the Moone.
1664 G. Etherege Comical Revenge iv. iii. 54 Well said, Widow, i' faith; I will get upon thy body A generation of wild Cats, children that shall Waw, waw, scratch their Nurses, and be drunk With their sucking-bottles.
?1746 ‘T. Bobbin’ View Lancs. Dial. 11 Three little tyney Bandyhewits..coom waughing os if th' little Eawls wou'd o worrit meh.
c1817 J. Hogg Mary Montgomery in Tales & Sketches (1865) 590/2 He was a' covered wi' blood, an' had a bit bloody bairn wawin' on afore him.
Derivatives
ˈwawing n.
ΚΠ
1876 J. Richardson Cummerland Talk 2nd Ser. 147 Oor Betty's allus wawin', wawin'..Nowt in this warld, o' that I's sarten, Wad keep her fra her wawin' lang!
1887 G. G. Green Gordonhaven v. 54 Ah thocht Ah heard a kin' o' a wawin' or something o' that sort oot o' the sea.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1c1290n.21316
n.31763n.41832v.1c725v.21570