An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language Part 980

A. S. _wisn-ian_, tabescere, marcescere; Isl. _visn-a_, id.

_To_ ~Wisen~, _v. a._ To cause to fade, or make dry.

_Douglas._

WISHY-WAs.h.i.+ES, _s. pl._ Shuffling language; a cant term for being slow in coming to the point, S. B.

_s.h.i.+rrefs._

Belg. _wisiewasie_, fiddle-faddle, whim-wham.

_To_ WISY, _v. a._ To examine, &c.

V. ~Vesy~.

_To_ WISK, _v. a._ To hurry away, as if one quickly swept off any thing with a besom.

_Douglas._

Germ. _wisch-en_, to wipe; Su. G. _wiska_, _hwisk_, a besom.

_To_ ~Wisk~ _away_, _v. n._ To move off nimbly, S.; _whisk_, E.

_Douglas._

~Wysk~, _s._ A quick motion; S. _whisk_.

_Barbour._

_With are wysk_, _adv._ Quickly.

_K. Hart._

_To_ WISS, WISSE, _v. a._ To direct, to guide, to put one in the way of obtaining any thing, S.

_Sir Tristrem._

A. S. _wiss-ian_, instruere, monstrare; Isl. _vys-a_, Dan. _vys-er_, ostendere.

_To_ WISS, _s._ To wish, S.

WISS, _s._ The moisture that exudes from bark, in preparing it for being tanned; Perths.

Isl. _vaes_, _vos_, humiditas.

WYSS, _adj._

1. Wise, prudent, S.

_Wall._

2. Knowing, informed; _wysser_, better informed, S.

A. S. _wis_, sapiens; Su. G. _wiss_, certus.

3. In the full exercise of reason; more commonly used with a negative, S.

_Ferguson._

~Wyss-wife~, ~Wise-wife~, _s._ A periphrasis for a witch, S.

_Spotswood._

Germ. _weissen-frauen_, witches.

~Wyss-like~, _adj._ Possessing the appearance of propriety, prudent, S.

A. S. _wis-lic_, prudens.

~Wyss-like~, _adv._ Properly, decently, S.

Germ. _weislich_, discreetly, judiciously.

_To_ WISSEL, _v. n._

1. To exchange.

2. To club in drinking, Ang.

~Wissel~, _s._ Change.

V. ~Quhissel~.

_To_ ~Wistel~, _v. a._ To wager, to stake, to bet, Ang.; an improper use of the _v._ _Quhissel_, to exchange.

WYSURE, _s._ Perh. consideration; Teut. _visouwe_, id.

_Dunbar._